Bounty Hunted, Parts 1-7
by Jade S
Summary: Check it out! Part 7 is finally up! And it's climax time baby^^;; Oh, I'm in a strange mood today...^^; *Ahem* Lots and lots of torture here, for both Jim and Gene! Please r/r! ^___^
1. Bounty Hunted, Part I

A/N: OK, this is my first Outlaw Star fic (big surprise there) And it's about Jim!! Jimmy-kun is so kawaii!! Oh, and did you see him in Thursdays ep? Fighting with Gene? That was so cute!! Well, anyway, this is kind of an AU fic (alternate universe if you don't already know.) because I know what happens (eventually) in here'll be totally different from the show. For instance, Jim's past, which you don't really hear anything about in this part but will be very important in the parts to come. OK now, enough of my talking, I'm done now. I hope you like it! And please r/r...  
  
  
~~~  
Bounty Hunted  
~~~  
  
  
There was a broad smile residing on Jim's face as he walked the crowded streets with his friends. Gene was doing it again, he was staring at Melfina, who as usual just walked on normally without even noticing his gaze. This sort of thing always amused the boy walking along side the two, boy was he gonna have a time teasing Gene about this one. Not that he found such pleasure in angering his partner, but Gene was just... well, Gene. And he just always made it so easy for his younger friend.  
  
"You know, it's not polite to stare at people." Jim stated with a quick laugh as his fire haired friends attention immediately changed to that of himself.  
  
Melfina on the other hand just looked confused as she too looked at the boy. "Whose staring?" She asked wishing she'd been paying a little more attention to her friends, to which Jim only laughed harder.  
  
"Haven't you noticed?" He asked grinning slyly up at the raven haired young woman. "Romeo over here's been staring at you all day." Jim gestured to Gene as he spoke, quickly receiving a hand slapped over his still grinning mouth, courtesy of Gene.  
  
"OK, that's enough from you." He spoke in annoyance.  
  
Jim probably would have just made another smart comment if Gene's hand weren't still there blocking his speech. So instead it was Melfina who spoke next. "Ummm... Gene, should you really be holding his face like that? You might hurt him."  
  
"He's fine." Gene replied reassuringly, releasing the boy from his grip. And then giving a hard "manly" slap on the back which nearly knocked him over, and added, "Aren't you, Jim?"  
  
"Uh, yeah, fine" Jim said, his voice lacking the reassurance that Gene's had as he rubbed his now sore jaw. But his silence it seemed wouldn't last as Gene turned back to Melfina and Jim sprouted a new smile as well as a laugh. "But not as fine as...." He trailed off as Gene shot him a quick warning glance that said he was going to far. "Ummmm..... The lovely weather we're having today." His words were spoken almost questionably as his eye's wandered about their current surroundings. "Would you just look at that sky?" He laughed nervously and Melfina looked up to see what had supposedly grabbed the boys attention.   
  
"It's full of clouds." She stated confused.  
  
"Yeah, Jim, it's full of clouds." Now it was Gene's turn to do some mocking. "Dark ones too, you must really like the rain."  
  
"As a matter of fact I do." Jim said almost annoyed himself. "Maybe it'll help to cool you down."  
  
"Okay," Gene sighed. "Time to quit. Why don't you go do something useful now?"  
  
Jim looked confused at this. "I am doing something useful." He said referring to their current search for work.  
  
"Making fun of me while we find a job is hardly useful." Gene said in a now serious tone.   
  
"Oh, and like what your doing is." Jim reminded him, in a sudden rush of anger. "Maybe if you took your eye's off Melfina for a minute we'd know what it is we're doing here."  
  
"And maybe if you weren't so busy arguing with me we'd have a job by now." Gene countered the boys statement.   
  
"Well, maybe if I weren't around you wouldn't have to worry about that!" Jim retorted staring up at him.  
  
"My point exactly." Gene said in an almost relieved tone as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "That's why you should go get supplies or something. It'll give you something to do and keep us out of arguing range at the same time."  
  
"Fine." The boy shouted at his partner. "I can tell when I'm not wanted."  
  
"Good."  
  
"Fine."  
  
"Fine."  
  
"Fine!"  
  
And with that Jim turned and jogged away from his friends without looking back. "Gene, don't you think you should go after him?" Melfina asked, worried about her young friend.  
  
Gene just shook his head. "No, he'll be okay." And then noticing the weary look on her face added, "Trust me, Melfina. We argue all the time, you know this isn't the first time he's run off like this. He just needs to blow off some steam, I'm sure we'll see him back at the hotel tonight."  
  
"All right." She sighed. "But he just looked so mad. Aren't you in the least bit worried?"  
  
"He's fine." Gene said again, truly believing his words. "That fight was nothing, we've had much worse. Now let's go, we've got stuff to do."  
  
Melfina just nodded still a little unsure as the two resumed their pace. And then a thought occurred to her as they walked side by side, something she'd caught Jim say during the argument. "Hey, Gene?"  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"What did Jim mean when he said that we'd know what we were doing if you took your eye's off of me?" She asked, a pensive look upon her face as she stared at Gene who blushed briefly at her question.  
  
"Ummm... uhhhhh... Nothing.... He was just, umm..." He stumbled over his words trying to think of something believable. "He was just trying to make me mad."  
  
"Oh." Melfina sounded almost disappointed. "Okay then."  
  
"Yeah." Gene said, feeling kind of an awkward tension around the two. "Hey look, there's a wanted sign." He said jogging off down the street.  
  
"Huh? Oh." Melfina said as she picked up her pace and caught up with him. It wasn't long before they were lost in the crowd.  
  
~~~  
  
Jim sighed as he walked, his hands buried deep within is pockets and his head tilted towards the ground. 'Okay' he thought. 'How did I start this one?' He shook his head at this, almost laughing at his own stupid question. 'The same way you always do.' He answered himself. 'By making fun of Gene and getting him all pissed off.' But it wasn't without reason, he didn't tease Gene constantly just for the amusement of it. (Although that was a plus) At one time he thrived on causing his friend embarrassment, but back then Gene'd simply come back with something smart of his own and they'd make a joke out of it. That was just the way they were. But now things were different. Now Gene just got mad. And they just got into fights. And separated, leaving Gene alone with Melfina.  
  
Not that he wasn't totally sure that they liked each other, he knew they wanted to be alone, even if it was unconsciously. But why did their being alone together mean his being alone by himself? Why did it have to mean that Gene was constantly pushing him away in order to be near her? It was just so irritating, if only he hadn't lost his temper again, why'd he have to leave? It was like he was playing right into Gene's game, to be annoying then leave. That's just the way it was. Or at least that's the way it was now.   
  
'That's how it is now.' He thought almost bitterly, kicking a stray rock in his aggression. 'How it is now'. But why did things have to change? Hadn't it been easier when it was just the two of them? Then he'd been Gene's partner, then they'd been equal and enjoyed each others company. Why did that have to change? It just didn't seem fair. He loved Melfina, she was almost like a mother figure to him, (Hey, he said it not me.) but why did she had to take Gene away? Why did that mean that he should be the lonely one?  
  
He sighed again, shaking his head at the thought, as if that would make it go away. Was he really blaming Melfina for this? Did he really have to find some reason to turn this all on something real rather than on fate? He knew he was being selfish, if anyone was at fault it was him. He was the one constantly mocking Gene and making him mad at him, but he did that out of sheer loneliness and he knew it. How else could he get his friends attention when it seemed Melfina had it all?  
  
And there he went again, blaming Melfina for his problems when he knew damn well it wasn't her fault. He was the insecure one here. He was the one who had to prove himself again and again. But he was right when he'd said that it was all his fault. He shouldn't have teased Gene so much, and he didn't have any right to be mad at him. He wasn't the one who started it in the first place. He wasn't the one who ran off. Not that Gene hadn't made it all to clear that he didn't want him around. An action that hurt the boy more than his friend knew.  
  
Jim had never had many friends. Even before Gene. Especially before Gene. He didn't have anything back then. No friends, no family, not one single person who cared for him at all. And it had been Gene who filled that gap in his life. He was like brother to him. Aniki, That's what he called him. Like the family he never really had. And that fact, under the circumstances, only hurt him more. How could he have been so stupid?  
  
Gene would forgive him though. But he knew that wasn't enough to make everything all right again. Maybe if he didn't come back tonight, maybe then he would know something was wrong. If he stayed away from the hotel and the Outlaw Star for just one night. He knew he could do it. It wouldn't have been the first time he'd made it alone. But did he really want to worry Gene? And would Gene even worry?  
  
And then he saw it out of the corner of his eye, nearly bringing that smile back to his face. There was a bright golden wanted poster on the side of some building not more then ten feet away. A wanted poster, a job, and quite possibly the answer to his problems. Some of them anyway. Maybe that would do it. Maybe if he got them a job Gene would pay him some attention. Maybe then things would be okay again. Maybe then things would go back to normal between him and Gene. If only for a little while.  
  
He was there in an instant, by the side of the tall brick building and staring up brightly at the possible answer to his problems. His happiness however was short lived, disappearing quickly as he caught a glimpse of the golden face in front of him. The shock of it hit him instantly and he just stood there staring in confusion and bewilderment. Could that really be who he thought it was? 'Gene' He thought worriedly. And then turning as if to run he forgot all about the fight, all about his problems, all about how much he hurting inside as only one dominant thought now filled his mind. 'I have to warn Gene.'  
  
But warning Gene was a chance he never got as a new dilemma hit him unexpectedly. The foreign hand clamped onto his face so hard and so fast that he could barely breath. He fought kicking and flailing, his muffled screams filling the air as he was forcefully dragged backwards into the small dark alley beside the building with the poster. "It's in your best interest to remain quiet." Came the voice of his attacker who was now restraining the boy. It was strange though, that voice. Her voice. Why was it so familiar to him? So familiar in fact that he ceased fighting her grip and stayed quiet as he was told. "They're watching you, Jim." And then her hand was removed from the boys face, his breathing deep and heavy as he inhaled the air his lungs had been begging for only seconds ago. "You okay?"  
  
His mind was spinning as he reflected on the events of the past few minutes. But he wasn't afraid, not anymore. He was however very confused as his breathing went back to normal and his only thought lay on that of his ''Attacker''. And then clearing his throat he was barely able to choke out the name that wouldn't leave his mind, "Hilda.....?"  
  
To be continued...  
  
A/N: So whadda ya say? Did it suck? Was it good? To fast? Did it even make sense? Ahhh... Too many questions! *Grins* Ok, Just tell me what I should do with this, that's all I really wanna know. If you want me too, I'll continue. If not, well, who knows, I'll probably continue anyway. Either way it *might* take me awhile. But whatever, hope ya liked it! And a note to all, WE NEED MORE JIM FICS!! I just love that kid!!!!! 


	2. Bounty Hunted, Part II

A/N: OK, I actually wrote this part the other day, but then after reading through it I was just like OMG, this sucks so bad! It just didn't seem like it made any sense at all, so I pretty much rewrote the whole thing and hopefully improved it to the point of being understandable. I dunno, I think I was going for mysterious and I just screwed it up somewhere. I wont lie to you though, this part can still get very confusing, and I know I'm gonna get some questions about what's going on here. Now hopefully it's not quite as confusing as I think it is, but I guess I'll just have to see.  
  
So anyway, thanx to everyone who reviewed the first part! I really appreciate it!! And to those of you who asked and/or wondered what the heck Hilda's doing in here, I just figured that it was about time someone brought her back! I thought Hilda was a kewl character! Was I the only one who was like in shock when she died? Oh, and just so you know, I am so going by dub standards on her death, (Not that she's dead here, but... *Shrugs*) because in the original there was really no way at all that she could have survived. And remember, this *is* an AU fic. Anything can and will happen! Heck, the fact that it's a fan fic tells you that much. So anyway I really, REALLY hope this part makes sense to you people! And that you still like it even with all it's confusion and weirdness, and the fact that romance isn't exactly one of my stronger points. But anyway, please r/r!  
  
~~~  
Bounty Hunted  
---  
Part II  
~~~  
  
"Shhhh..."  
  
"Hilda? Is that really...."  
  
"Quiet, Jim, it's not safe to talk here. They'll hear you."  
  
"Who?"  
  
"Shhh...." Hilda said again, this time quieting the boy as she lead him silently through the dark alley. She knew that they had to be some where safer before they could talk, and that he would have a lot of questions. That much was inevitable. But how exactly she would answer them she wasn't yet sure. All that she was sure of now was that she had to get him out of the alley and somewhere safe. Somewhere where they could talk. "Come on, this way." She whispered pulling Jim along behind her as they neared the other end of alley way and were greeted by the warm light of the afternoon.  
  
"In here." She said indicating to a small building on their right, apparently a restaurant of some kind, and entered with Jim in tow. Conveniently enough the place was remotely empty, save for a few costumers and a dark haired man standing behind the places bar, whom glanced up briefly upon their arrival before casually going back to the glass he was cleaning.  
  
"So just what the heck is going on here?" Jim asked staring up at her for the first real time, an almost overwhelming sense of shock rushing through him at the sight of her. The boy was so confused at that moment, how could that really be Hilda? How could she have survived? And what exactly had she been talking about back in the alley? His mind was so full of questions now that he felt he might burst at any given moment if he didn't get some answers soon.   
  
And yet Hilda remained silent as she and Jim each took a seat at the table farthest from the other customers. "Well?" He asked growing impatient as Hilda tried to think of a way to explain the situation clearly. "Hilda, come on! Answer me! How is it that your here? How could you have survived?"  
  
"That's not what's important right now." She replied simply.  
  
"What do you mean it's not important? Hilda your supposed to be dead! This doesn't make any sense at all!" He exclaimed, gaining the two a few unwanted stares. But at this point that mattered little to Jim, he just wanted to know what was going on. There was no way he was just going to let Hilda play it off like she'd been on vacation or something, he wanted some answers. Some real ones, and right now!  
  
"Look, Jim, I know you want some answers..."  
  
"Your Damn right I do! Hilda what is going on here?"  
  
"I know you want some answers," She said again, this time a slight hint of irritation in her voice that told the boy to let her finish what she was saying. "But there are more important things to worry about right now."  
  
"Oh really?" Jim asked skeptically. "Well, sorry if I happen to think your coming back from the *dead* is priority one right now."  
  
"I was never dead, Jim. Close, but not dead. Now will you please pay attention because I'm not the only thing you need to be worrying about right now." She replied, knowing that it was a pretty flimsy explanation but caring little as she reached into her pocket and pulled out a folded piece of golden paper and handed it to the boy across from her. "This is what we really have to worry about."  
  
He sighed knowingly as he unfolded the paper he'd seen on the building before. "Gene." He said his friends name aloud, his tone changing completely as worry overpowered his frustration. "We have to warn him."  
  
Hilda merely shook her head at his words. "Don't you even want to know whose behind this?"  
  
Jim's eye's traveled back up to her as she spoke, worry evident in his expression. "Does it really matter?" He asked setting the paper down. "All I know is that Gene's in trouble and I need to go help him before something happens."  
  
"It was the Kei pirates. That's who I didn't want to hear us before." She said as though he'd actually taken some interest in what she was saying. "And let it be known, Jim, that they're after you as well."  
  
"Well, yeah. If they're after Gene then they're after me anyway."  
  
"No, Jim." She said seriously. "They're after you."  
  
"Yeah, but..."  
  
"No, Jim." She repeated. "They're after *you*."   
  
"Me?" Jim said, finally grasping what Hilda was telling him. "But the poster says they're after Gene." He stated, confused and alarmed by the others remarks.  
  
"And your always with Gene." She said honestly enough. "But Gene is more easily recognized and well known. The pirates know that." She paused, and the boy shifted uncomfortably in his seat. "The pirates know you."  
  
Jim winced at her words, she seemed to know so much. Too much. About him. About the pirates. But how? How could she know? How could anyone? He'd never told anyone and he barely even knew Hilda. How could she know? 'No.' He thought, shaking his head slowly as though he'd said the word out loud. He wouldn't let panic set in just yet. He'd wait and see if there was a better explanation for what she'd just said rather then jumping to conclusions. She couldn't know the truth, she didn't even know him. And so rather then letting her see the near fearful look in his eye's he dodged her stares and decided that it would be best to play it cool and hope that his assumptions about what she knew were wrong. They just had to be.  
  
"What are you talking about?" He asked praying that he didn't already know. "Why would the pirates be after me?"  
  
"Do I even need to answer that?" She replied with a question of her own, staring at the boy across the table knowingly. A stare that scared Jim half to death. "I think we both know what I'm talking about."  
  
"No." He said shaking his head nervously. She couldn't know. No one knew. Not her. Not anyone. No one.  
  
"Jim, I know about your past." She said exactly what Jim had feared she might say. "I know what happened to you. I know what you did."  
  
"No." He said again, this time standing up and pounding an angry fist against the table as he continued to shake his head now violently. "You don't know what hell your talking about! Gene doesn't even know that, how the hell could you?" 'Okay, Jim. Don't panic. Don't panic.'   
  
"I've been fighting the pirates for years." She began her response, to which Jim couldn't help but look back at her, the word "pirates" catching his ear. "And you don't fight someone for that long without knowing who your enemies are."  
  
And that was it. She did know. Those last few words were all the evidence Jim needed. Someone really did know about his past. About the things he'd done, the people he hurt, and the enemies he'd had. The enemy he'd once had in her and the enemies he'd made when he'd escaped that old life of his. The old life he'd wanted to forget ever existed. The old life that haunted him still.   
  
Hilda immediately noticed the bewilderment in the boys blue eye's and felt almost bad about telling him what she knew. "I also know that it wasn't your fault." She told him in hopes of making him feel better. Hopes she knew couldn't be full filled.  
  
"Are you going to tell Gene?" He asked doing his best to regain his composure, his tone serious as he tried to push his worry to the back of his mind. A failed attempt he realized as his voice came out almost meekly.  
  
"No, I wasn't planing on it." She replied, causing him to sigh in at least some relief. "But I think that you'd better, before someone else does."  
  
Jim turned away from her again at this, not wanting her to see the confusion and sadness in his eye's. How could this be happening? She really did know. But Gene? He shuttered at the thought. "How can I?" He asked, worried at the thought of what Gene might say. Of what he would think. "We don't get along as it is, how could he possibly understand?"  
  
"Jim, it wasn't your fault." She said again. A statement which was now becoming quite redundant. "That was just the hand life dealt you. You had no say in it."  
  
"How would you know?" He asked turning on her suddenly, forgetting to remain calm as his anger at the current situation grew inside of him. "You weren't there. You didn't know me. All you knew was that I was your enemy. That's all you knew. How do you know it wasn't the life I chose for myself? How do you know I'm not still your enemy?"  
  
"Because I know you better then that."  
  
"You don't know me at all!" He retorted haughtily, his hands balled into fists at his sides. She was right though, he didn't choose that life himself. He didn't even want that life. He'd always hated it. But that never stopped him from it. That didn't keep him from fighting, or hurting people, or destroying. It didn't keep him from destroying lives and following the ways of those he hated most. The fact that he didn't like it didn't change a damn thing to make it any better. If anything it only made things worse, for both him and those he'd wound up hurting. And none of his regrets no matter how strong could change the things he'd done. It didn't change who his father was. And it couldn't change the inevitable.  
  
"All right, then." Hilda began, knowing better then to let the boys words hurt her. She knew he was just angry. And that actually he was right, she didn't know him that well. But then again he didn't really know her either. "We need to figure out what we're doing here." She said in an attempt to change the subject, to which Jim gladly obliged.  
  
"We have to warn Gene." Jim stated seriously, still having some trouble remaining calm. "We have to hook back up with Gene and Melfina and tell them what's going on."  
  
Hilda shook her head at this. "I really think that we'd be better off staying away from them for now." She said, surprising the boy.   
  
"How could that help?" He asked confused. "There's safety in numbers, wouldn't we be better off together?"  
  
"Well, if we stay apart and one of us is attacked then at least the other'll still be okay." She replied logically.  
  
"Yeah, but the other wont be." Jim reminded her.  
  
"Look, Jim, your the one they're after, your the one they want alive."  
  
"So?"   
  
"So if your with Gene and they find you Gene's gonna fight and most likely get himself killed." Hilda explained to him. "And if they do go after him he's better off not knowing where you are. It's the best for both of you."  
  
"Oh." Was all he said as they finally reached an understanding. What she said did make some sense and he certainly didn't want endanger Gene anymore than he already had. "I guess your right." Hilda nodded. "But can we at least go back to the hotel and get some of my stuff?"  
  
"I guess we could do that." She replied, standing up from her chair. "But we'll have to hurry, we don't want to run into them."  
  
"OK." Jim agreed on his way to the door. "Then lets get going." He was still a little weary of the way they were handling this but somehow he preferred it. At least now he wouldn't have to tell Gene the truth just yet, an act he dreaded more than anything. But he couldn't worry about that now. He had to stay focused. And yet the mere thought of it still plagued the boys mind as they went on their way. How would Gene react to the truth? To the fact that his very own partner had once been the enemy? That Jim, much like his own father, was once a pirate?  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
  
There was a sullen look upon Gene's face as he and Melfina reached the hotel, sighing almost angrily as he turned the door knob to their room. They still didn't have a job and things it seemed were only getting worse. They were all ready worse. And under the current circumstances Gene had no idea what to do.  
  
"Gene?" Melfina said her friends name, entering the room behind him. She'd been so worried about him ever since they'd found that wanted poster. He'd been so happy for a moment there, excited at the prospect of finding himself a good job. But all that had changed so fast at the sight of whose picture was on the golden sheet of paper. She too couldn't help but worry. "Gene, are you okay?"  
  
"Do I look like I'm okay?" He nearly shouted back at her.  
  
"Oh, okay, sorry." Was all Melfina could think of to say, as she looked down, barely giving Gene the chance to see the hurt now present in her eye's.  
  
"No, I'm sorry, Mel." He said, regretting his words immediately. "I'm just kind of frustrated right now, ya know. I really think we need to get out of here."  
  
Melfina nodded, easily excepting his apology. "Yeah, your probably right. We wouldn't want anyone to recognize you."  
  
"Yeah," Gene agreed. And then taking a look around himself got a rather puzzled look on his face. "Jim?" He called out his younger friends name, receiving no answer from the boy. "Hey Jim, are you here?"  
  
"His cars gone." Melfina noted alarmed as she glanced out the window. "His stuff is too. Gene, I thought you said he'd be back."  
  
"Dammit!" Gene exclaimed upon hearing her words. "Can things get any worse?"  
  
"Gene, don't get so upset." Melfina advised him. "It wont do you a bit of good."  
  
"Well, how am I supposed to act, Mel?" Gene asked her, taking a quick seat on his unmade bed and resting his fore head in his hands. "I'm a wanted man, with no job and no money, and to top it all off I've somehow managed to drive away one of the few real friends I have! How am I supposed to act?"  
  
"But maybe he'll still come back." She suggested taking a seat beside him. "You said he would."  
  
"Well, apparently I was wrong." He replied sharply. "You don't take your stuff if your planning on coming right back."  
  
"Well, where do you expect him to go?" Melfina asked.  
  
"How should I know?" Gene answered with a question. "When I first meet him he was living on the streets, no doubt he can do it again."   
  
"Oh."  
  
"But I don't want him out there like that, Mel." He said honestly. "He's just a kid. He shouldn't have to be. This is all my fault!"  
  
"You shouldn't blame yourself." Melfina said moving closer to him and placing a comforting hand on his shoulder. "It's not all your fault, Gene. It just happened. And Jim is just as much to blame as you are."  
  
"Yeah, I guess." Gene said lacking enthusiasm, as he worried about his young friend. And then upon looking up at her and noticing the saddened expression on her own face he gave her kind of a weary look as she let her own eye's travel around the room. Was something wrong with her? She looked so sad. "And what about you?" He asked   
  
"Huh?" She looked up.  
  
"Are you okay?"  
  
"Oh, me? Yeah, I'm fine." She replied turning away from him. "Just a little worried is all."  
  
"Well, don't be." He said placing a hand on her shoulder much like she had done for him and forced a smile of reassurance as he practically lied through his teeth. "Everything'll be all right, soon enough."  
  
"You really believe that?" She wondered skeptically. And he nodded even though he really wasn't sure at all. She smiled at this, letting herself lean against his chest as he placed an arm around her. She always felt so safe in his arms. "Thanks."  
  
"For what?" Gene asked.  
  
"For being here." She replied simply. "Just for caring and making me feel safe."  
  
"Oh." Gene, blushed slightly, a little surprised at her words. "Well, then thank you too." He said, still holding her gingerly.  
  
"For what?"  
  
"For making me feel useful." He answered, almost laughing at the statement. It wasn't like him to worry so much over things and right now he really just felt kind of helpless to do anything. A trait that was not his own.  
  
She however was very flattered by his words, the thought of her actually helping him in some way made her feel like she really did have a purpose in life, and her smile only grew, as she sat up to face him. "You've always been useful." She stated moving closer to him. "You've always been there for me. I don't know how I can thank you for that."  
  
"You just did." He told her, his arm wrapped around her once again as he stared longingly into her dark eye's. She looked so beautiful when she smiled. She was always beautiful. So beautiful...  
  
Melfina gazed up at Gene mesmerized by the uncharacteristic vulnerability that was so obvious in his eye's. And she took his hand in hers as she let her own eye's wander once over his muscular body before letting them lock with his. She already could feel him leaning towards her as she was to him, his breathe mixing with hers as their lips edged towards each other. And then....  
  
Both Gene and Melfina's heads snapped away from each other as they heard an unexpected pounding on the door. Gene sighed as he stood to answer it, glancing back at Melfina once more before turning towards the door, a disappointed look upon his face. He was almost there when suddenly the door was pushed, or rather kicked down to reveal a group of about five or six men causing Gene to jump back and Melfina to let a quick scream escape her lips.   
  
"Gene Starwind?" One of them asked, and Gene cocked his head on reflex causing a large grin to spread across the mans face as the others laughed behind him. "Good. Then it's about time we got down to business."  
  
To be continued...  
  
  
A/N: Well that's it for now. So how was this one? To fast? Bad? Confusing? Probably, but hopefully any confusion will be cleared up in the coming parts. If you have any questions at all feel free to ask. And thanx again to everyone who reviewed last time!! You guys are great!! 


	3. Bounty Hunted, Part III

A/N: OK, here we go again. Gomen nasai for the long wait! Mild writers block/school/friends/You spend to much time online lectures, you know the drill. Eeks, well, action chapter, which much like romance isn't my strong point, but hey, I tried. Well, anyway, thanx so much again to those who've read and reviewed so far! And now on to part 3! please r/r ^_^  
  
~~~  
Bounty Hunted  
---  
Part III  
~~~  
  
  
Gene frowned at the sight before him. 'Pirates' He thought bitterly. He knew it was them, that much was made clear by their brutish appearance, and their obvious lack of hygiene. "Melfina get out of here!" He shouted to the surprised girl on the bed causing her to snap out of the current state of shock she was in. The Man who had spoken before merely sneered at this as Melfina pondered over what to do.  
  
"Go ahead." He said addressing Melfina. "Runaway, we'll catch up with you as soon as we're done with him." Gene stiffened at this, and pulled out his knife on reflex to the mans words.  
  
"If you get the chance." He grinned confidently at the brood before him, and they simply chuckled, apparently finding his threats to be rather amusing.  
  
"Oh we'll get our chance." Another of the men spoke up, taking a step in front of the others as he too took out his knife. And with that said large man lunged at Gene, his blade stretched out in front of him as he attacked.  
  
Gene merely sidestepped the attack and knocked him down, sending his own knife plunging into the other mans back. "Well, that's one." He said mockingly, a grin upon his face that practically said "Bring it on" as the wounded man lay on the ground at his feet.  
  
Another of the men came at Gene almost instantly, to which he could have laughed as he too was done for, almost as soon as he'd charged. But instead Gene just looked up skeptically at the three remaining men. Had these morons actually been sent after him? They were to say the least, quite pathetic, and from what he'd seen so far they defiantly seemed to be lacking in fighting skills. And they were defiantly losing. So why was the first of them still smiling?  
  
Gene just shrugged it off and awaited the next attack, this time it was a tall dark haired man who came at him. And was beaten just as quickly as the others. If Jim had been here he'd have thought something was up, Gene knew that. If he were here. But he wasn't and Gene was pretty sure that he wouldn't have listened to him anyway. He rarely did. In fact, all of them rarely did. Maybe that was what was wrong...   
  
"Gene, look out!" Melfina, who was still there, suddenly exclaimed bringing him out of his thoughtful state and back into the reality of the all to simple fight he was engaged in. He blocked this next attack just in time, but this fourth man didn't go down quite as easily. Still, it was only a matter of punches and kicks before he was out of it too.   
  
Melfina simply gaped at the scene unfolding before her. Something had to be wrong here. There had to be more to this then she could see. However Gene was smiling again, apparently he wasn't all that worried anymore, but Melfina knew better then that, and now that handsome smile upon his face which she usually enjoyed completely only worried her more. 'Don't underestimate them, Gene.' She begged him mentally. 'Please, please don't let them hurt you.'  
  
"So," Gene began, staring confidently at the remaining man. "You care to try your luck?"  
  
"My, my, aren't we the cocky one?" He said, unaffected by Gene's little statements. "They said you were good."  
  
"They weren't lying." Gene replied with ever present pride.  
  
"Apparently." The man laughed, and Gene's smile disappeared as that of the other man grew. "That's why I came prepared." And his grin remained as he quickly drew his gun and aimed it at Gene's head. Gene gasped as the man pulled the trigger, doing what he could to get out of the bullets path, and hitting the floor with a thud as it connected cleanly with his left shoulder.  
  
"GENE!" Melfina screamed as he hit the floor, blood spilling relentlessly between his fingers as he grasped his wounded arm.   
  
"Melfina stay back!" Gene exclaimed as he noticed her moving towards him, groaning in pain as he pushed him self into a sitting position. She stopped dead in her tracks, her eye's consumed in worry and fear as she stared down at his now sitting form. And the man looked down at the two slyly as he again aimed the gun at his new found enemy.  
  
"So," He said, his face suddenly becoming very serious. "Where's the kid?"   
  
"Huh?" Gene said still dazed from his wound. (Well duh...^_~)  
  
"Hawking!" The man demanded fearfully. "Where is he?"  
  
'Jim?' Gene thought to himself, not quite sure of what to say. 'Why would he be after...'  
  
"Well?" He inquired as he advanced on Gene. "Where the hell is he?"  
  
"What do you want Jim for?" Gene asked, frustration and annoyance evident in his voice. He just couldn't see any reason for these men, these pirates to be after his young partner. What could they possibly want with Jim?  
  
Melfina was wondering this too. Had Jim crossed path's with these monsters before? Had he done something to make them mad? Anything besides the things they'd done together? And yet any sensible explanations seemed to elude her at this time. Any sensible ones that she wanted to believe anyway.  
  
"Well?" Now it was Gene who sounded impatient.  
  
"That's really none of your concern." He replied icily, to which Gene could only sigh. This was getting very, very annoying. "Just tell me where he is!"  
  
"I have no idea." Gene told him honestly, not that he would have told a pirate of all people where Jim was anyway.   
  
"Like hell you don't!" The man apparently didn't believe him. He was standing right over top of Gene now, his dark hair falling in his eye's as he looked down at the outlaw with a sinister glare.   
  
"I don't." Was all Gene told him again.  
  
"Dammit!" He exclaimed, kicking Gene back and grinding his boot firmly into the others chest. "Do you really want me to kill you?"   
  
"I don't know where he is!" Gene shouted through clenched his teeth. It was all he could do not to cry out in pain as the other continued to apply pressure to his chest. He had to stay strong though, he couldn't give up. But he had to admit it was pretty hard to stay strong when he could barely breath. 'Damn!' He exclaimed mentally. 'I seem helpless.' The thought was a bitter one. He really hated the way he was acting, it was so, unlike him. It was almost as though he were pleading with the dark man before him. Pleading, begging, words he previously didn't consider to be in his vocabulary, so why did he seem so helpless now? Why couldn't he fight back?  
  
That thought in itself was enough to fuel his will and cause him to lash out violently at the dark man who nearly toppled over as Gene did what he could to escape his hold. The other raised an eyebrow at this, once again aiming his gun in the direction of Gene's face. "Not giving up yet, I see?" He said darkly, the grin coming back to his face.   
  
Gene glared at the man. "Give up?" He said in a questioning tone, pain still noticeable in his voice. "Now why would I want to do a thing like that?"  
  
"Maybe because your on the verge of death."  
  
"Then I'll go down fighting." He said, allowing an accepting smile to form on his face. "Because Outlaws never goes down easy."   
  
"Oh, Gene..." Melfina whispered almost sadly at the site before her. 'Gene, please...' Those last words worried her more than anything, and there were tears forming in her amber eyes as she let them replay over and over in her mind.   
  
"Good-bye Gene Starwind." The man smiled as well, letting his finger run gingerly over the trigger. And then...  
  
"Gene! No!" Melfina exclaimed, no longer able to bare the event unfolding before her eye's as she threw herself at the man and knocked him to the floor. She had never been a violent person but there was only so much that she could take, and standing there like some weak little girl while someone she cared about got himself killed was *not* one of them.  
  
Gene's eye's widened at this, both out of shock and out of relief. "Melfina..." He whispered to himself, his voice holding some pride in her name. He'd never expected such a feat from her, she was so quite, so gentle, and apparently she was spontaneous as well. A thought that only made him like her more.  
  
"Damn you!" The man exclaimed, throwing her aside easily as he stood to his feet. "I must say, I'm impressed." He added and then kicked her bitterly in the side.   
  
Gene's eyes narrowed at the site as he too forced himself to stand. "You, leave her alone!" He demanded angrily, and the man continued to smile as he turned back to him.  
  
"I'll leave you both alone." He said to Gene's surprise as he walked towards the door.   
  
"What...?" Gene uttered, confused.  
  
"The kids not here." He stated simply "No need to waste my time with you." And with that he was out the door, leaving Gene to stand there lost in his own confusion. "Oh, and one more thing." The Man peaked his head back in. "If ya see him, tell him that Dom's looking for him. I'm sure he'll be pleased."  
  
"Gene?" Melfina's voice came out low as she got to her feet. "Gene, what is he talking about?"  
  
"I don't know." Gene shook his head slowly. "But I'll find out. You can count on it!"  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
The dark haired man sighed as he left the hotel and headed for the street. 'Mission incomplete.' He thought to himself sourly, running a hand through his thick black hair and taking a seat in the awaiting car outside.   
  
"Well?" He was greeted by his employer as he climbed into the vehicle. "Where's the kid, Jack?"  
  
"He wasn't there." The man, apparently Jack replied to the man in the shadows.  
  
The man, whom Jack knew as Dominic, frowned at this leaning forward a bit into the light so that Jack could get a better look at him. It was obvious that he was tall and lean even though he was still sitting, with kind of a strange muscular build that appeared almost lanky. His hair was an unnatural shade of blond, almost white in fact, and his eye's, which now practically glared at Jack, were the iciest shade of blue. "And what of the others?" He asked referring to Gene and Melfina.  
  
"They don't seem to know anything." He answered. "I figured that staying any longer would have been a waste of time."   
  
"Right." The other nodded. "And your men?"  
  
"Useless weaklings, sir. They're were all killed or injured in a matter of minutes." Jack recalled the events of their near defeat.  
  
"Figures." Dom said, not at all surprised by what he'd just been told. "They were dispensable anyway."  
  
Now it was Jacks turn to nod as the car began to move. "Yes, sir. That they were." Then after he thought a moment asked, "So what do we do now?"  
  
"We find Jim." He replied, and Jack took on a look of surprise, it wasn't often that Dom called the boy by name. "That kids caused me more problems then I care to admit and it's time he paid for that. Do you have the detonator?"  
  
"Here." Jack said holding out a small mechanical device, to which Dom smiled sinisterly.   
  
"Good." He grinned. "And this, kid," He spoke the words as though Jim could hear him. "is only the beginning of what you deserve." And with that he pressed a small red button in the center of the device which held. Jack too grinned as he stared out the back widow, watching with intrigue as the hotel behind them was blown to pieces.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
  
"So which way do we go now?" Jim asked as they neared a fork in the road.  
  
"Go right." Hilda instructed the boy from her seat beside him. "You know, Jim, you wouldn't have to ask so many questions if you'd just let *Me* drive." She reminded him, to which he simply shrugged.  
  
"It's my car, Hilda." He stated in pride, smiling despite himself as he drove.  
  
"Yeah, well you don't have any idea where we're going." Hilda said, trying to sound logical.  
  
"Do you?" He smirked and she sighed.  
  
"Yes." She answered the boy, shaking her head slightly in annoyance. "Which is exactly why *I* should be the one driving."   
  
"But my Ehefrau likes me better." He said knowing perfectly well that he sounded like a five-year-old but caring little as he laughed lightly at the look Hilda got on her face.  
  
"Right." She rolled her eye's at the boy in the drivers seat, to which he only laughed more. "Just keep your eye's on the road." She said as he was glancing over at her. Jim nodded and turned his attention back to the traffic and street signs.   
  
They hadn't been driving long yet, not even an hour, but to Jim it seemed forever. He still didn't like the idea of leaving his friends in order to keep himself safe, and yet from what Hilda had said it was really the best for all them. He couldn't help but doubt it though. How could their separation be a good thing? Even under the current circumstances?  
  
"Jim, Pay attention." Hilda said suddenly, bringing the boy out of his pensive state.   
  
"Huh? Uhhh... Yeah, sorry." He mumbled, his words coming out almost shakily as he spoke.  
  
"You, okay?" Hilda asked a little worried. He'd been fine a minute ago.  
  
"Yeah." He replied, sighing as he did. "I'm just thinking is all."  
  
Hilda wasn't surprised by this. Jim had been in and out of thought all day and she knew that it couldn't be helped. The day had been a dark one for her young friend, and he wasn't the type to run away from his problems like this. "About what?" She asked simply for conversational prepossess.  
  
"About Gene." He replied with the words she knew he'd use. "We shouldn't have left them."  
  
"Jim, you didn't have a choice." She reminded him for what seemed the millionth time that day.  
  
"You keep saying that." Jim said frustrated. "It really doesn't make any of this feel any better."  
  
"Well, sorry for trying." Hilda said with a hint of sarcasm.  
  
"Don't be." Jim said softly. "I know your just trying to help, Hilda, but this whole situation is just so...." He trailed off with a sigh, letting his shoulders slouch as he did.  
  
"Look," Hilda began her reply. "I know how hard this all is for you. I know you didn't want to leave the others. But Jim, you have to understand, that it was for the best and worrying about it isn't going to help anyone and neither is feeling sorry for yourself."   
  
"But what about Gene?" Jim asked, worry still evident in his voice as well as his azure eye's. "How can I tell him? What if something happens to him?"  
  
"Gene'll be fine." She answered him confidently. "And as for telling him, he'll understand. I know he will."  
  
"Okay." He said, still skeptical. "It's just that Gene's like a brother to me. I don't know what I'd do if..."  
  
"Stop it Jim." Hilda cut him off sternly. "Your only going to make things worse if you think that way.   
  
He nodded. "Yeah, I guess." And then...  
  
*Boom*  
  
Jim barely had time to gasp as the ground behind them was blown apart, and he could feel the car spinning uncontrollably underneath his now dizzy body. "Whoa...!" He exclaimed as they spun, nearly colliding with a nearby building. And for about a minute everything went black....  
  
"Jim?" Hilda shook the boy lightly as his head rested on the steering wheel. And then upon seeing where the blast had come from, she shook him a little more. "Jim, wake up! We have to get out of here!"  
  
"Huh...? What...?" The boy sounded dazed.   
  
"Jim, come on!" Hilda continued to shake him awake.  
  
"Huh? Hilda, what happened?" He sounded confused, glancing around as he opened his eye's. "Oh my God! My car! Ehefrau!"  
  
"Your stupid cars fine!" Hilda assured him. "Now we have to get out of here before we get ourselves killed!"   
  
Jim looked up rather quickly at this to see just what Hilda had been talking about and was surprised to see a rather large black car advancing on them. "Pirates!" He exclaimed, recognizing the car, as he sat up immediately and started the car back up.  
  
"Hilda glanced back at them as they began riding away. They looked pretty well off for pirates, for the car they were in they looked more like your average wealthy people did. But there was something about them that told her Jim was right. Aside from the fact that they were attacking them.  
  
They were off in a flash, the other car trailing behind them quickly as they did, shooting at them every chance they got. "What's going on, Hilda?" Jim asked confused and worried. "I thought you said they wanted me alive!"  
  
"They do." Hilda replied.  
  
"Oh yeah?" He said spinning the steering wheel fiercely to the right as he swerved out of the way of an on coming car. "Well, they sure have a funny way of showing it! They're shooting at us!"  
  
"Yeah, you noticed that to, huh?" Hilda said sarcastically, still glancing back at their pursuers from time to time.   
  
"Cute." Jim rolled his eye's at her. "Real cute. Where being chased by some psycho path pirates who are trying to *kill* us, and your making jokes." He chuckled despite himself. "Funny..."  
  
Hilda sighed at this, she hadn't really meant it sound like that, but it was just the way she was. Strait forward, and if that meant being sarcastic, well then that was her too. "Isn't it though?" She turned back to the boy, who was driving furiously himself, barely dodging the people, cars and buildings which were in his path. 'Why couldn't he just let me drive?' She mused as they made a rather sharp left, followed by a right and another left. "Ummm... Jim, Where are we going?" he asked the question that he'd been pondering earlier, to which he just shrugged.  
  
"Anywhere that they're not!" Was his reply as he made another left, the pirates still tailing them, but not as closely.  
  
"We're losing them." Hilda announced as they swerved dangerously to the right, coming all to close to the corner of a tall brick building at their side.  
  
Jim nodded. "Good." He said, making yet another left and speeding past some rather shocked pedestrian's.  
  
"You know, Jim, I really *Don't* think you know what your doing here." Hilda informed the boy who'd just barely made it out of yet another near collision with a passing car.  
  
"Well, you try driving under this kind of pressure and see how well you do!" He replied seriously, as gun shots could still be heard in the background.  
  
"I wish I could!" Hilda shook her head slowly. "But a certain *Someone* wouldn't let me drive his precious 'Ehefrau'"  
  
Jim rolled his eye's as they turned another corner, choosing not to say a thing about his friends little statement. He had bigger things to worry about right now. "Hey, Jim, turn in there." Hilda instructed, pointing to a small dark alley way on their left.   
  
"Right." Jim nodded making the turn and letting the shadows devour them. "Now stay quiet." He reminded her as he turned off the ignition and put a finger to his lips. Hilda gave him an 'I was planning on it' sorta look and he smiled at thought.   
  
They watched carefully as the black car flew by still in search of them and sighed in relief as it passed them without so much as slowing down. "Well, that was a close one." Hilda stated in her usual cool tone.  
  
Jim's smile however was gone quickly as watched the other car disappear from their view. "I don't like this, Hilda." The boy muttered darkly and Hilda's eye's wandered over to him, narrowing slightly at the sight of the boy in the shadows.  
  
"What's the matter with you?" She asked, figuring he'd be happy that'd they'd escaped with their lives.  
  
"We have to go back with Gene." He stated simply.   
  
"Oh, not this again." She sounded almost annoyed.  
  
"Yes!" Jim emphasized. "This again!"  
  
"Jim, how many times do I have to tell you, we'd be..."  
  
"Better off this way." He completed the sentence he'd heard oh so many times before. "Maybe so, but it doesn't seem to be helping a damn thing!"  
  
"Jim..."  
  
"We need to be together." He cut her off again. "And we're going to be! I don't like this situation one little bit, and I'm sure Gene's not taking it so hot either, and I'm *not* going to just run away when my friends might need my help!"  
  
"Fine." She sighed.  
  
"And further more..." He trailed off, glancing at her. "Fine?" He asked. "You mean it?"  
  
She nodded. "Yes, Jim, I mean it."  
  
"Really?" He smiled. "Good! Cause I was gonna go anyway." Hilda rolled her eye's at the boy as he started the car up again. "I was." He repeated. "Really..."  
  
"Lets just get going." She told him simply as they pulled out of the alley. And then added with a grin, "Before I change my mind." Now it was Jim's turn to roll his eye's as they made the appropriate turn and headed back in the direction of the hotel.  
  
  
It took little under an hour for them to reach their destination, at first having a hard time deciding which way to go after their little 'Car chase' incident. Jim smiled at the thought of seeing his friends again, it hadn't even been a day since he'd run off, and yet it seemed so much longer. Painfully longer. And unlike before, he had no doubt in his mind that Gene would be worried about him. It was one thing him to leave, but to take his stuff along with him? That was quite another, and he knew it. Gene probably thought he was gone for good.  
  
Hilda on the other hand, didn't look so thrilled. It had been one thing to see Jim again, but Gene? Well, that would be quite interesting. It had been awhile since they'd last seen each other. Since she'd supposedly died, and to see him again just seemed like it would be hard. On both of them. She made no secret of the fact that she had some feelings for the guy, she hadn't when she was "alive" and she sure as hell wouldn't now.   
  
But things had changed since then, she knew. Hadn't Jim mentioned something about Gene liking Melfina? She was sure he had, a statement that really hadn't surprised her. Melfina was good for him, sweet, kind, safe. Gene could love her and know that it would last. Melfina was someone he could trust. Not that she couldn't be trusted, she knew very well that she could, but actual relationships really weren't her thing. Of course after meeting Gene, that had complicated things a bit.   
  
"We're almost there." Jim announced coolly, doing his best not to express his excitement as they neared the last turn off on the way to the hotel. Hilda nodded, not saying a word as they approached their location. She let her head droop down a bit, both out of fatigue and out of the worry that still lingered in the back of her mind. And yet she let herself block the thought from excelling any further, closing her eye's as she did, doing her best to relax.  
  
She had nearly nodded off when the Jim stopped the car with a sudden gasp, causing her head to pop back up immediately. "Gene..." He said the name of his friend slowly, his eye's wide in fear and disbelief.   
  
"What is it?" Hilda asked, staring over at the boy before letting her own eye's wonder to that which his were locked. "Oh, my..." She trailed off as she saw the pile of rubble and brick before her, her face taking on an expression not unlike that of the boy beside her.  
  
Jim was out of the car in a second as he stared in bewilderment at the debris before. "Gene!?" He screamed running towards the hotels ruins. "Gene! Melfina! Where are you?! Gene!?"  
  
"Gene?" Hilda called as she too got out of the car, much more slowly then her young friend and stood there in shock of what she saw.  
  
"Gene?!" Jim's cries were much more pleading, as his breathing became shallow. "Melfina?! Please! Gene?! Where are you?"  
  
"Jim..." Hilda could barely utter the boys name as she watched him search for his friends, from what she could see, on the verge of tears. She couldn't help but feel guilty, after all this *was* her fault. If only she'd brought him back sooner. If only she hadn't been so stubborn. If only she'd come back sooner...  
  
"No!" Jim exclaimed turning on her. "It's not supposed to be like this, Hilda! We came back. We came here to help them. It's not supposed to be like this. It's not!"  
  
"I know..." She said so low that he could barely hear her. "I know, Jim, I'm so sorry..."  
  
And as the sunset behind him Jim could hold his tears in no longer. "Gene..." He whispered, turning away again, an almost overwhelming sense of defeat rushing over the boy as his lingering tears fell freely. He shook his head again, in disbelief and fear of the site he saw, of the answers he didn't receive, of the loss that was his own. And his small body was shacking uncontrollably as his screams filled the evening air. "Gene?!" He called into the night, his chest heaving painfully beneath his shirt as his heart pounding and his chest. "Aniki....?!"  
  
To be continued...  
  
A/N: *Grins* I'll bet by now you guys are starting to hate me. To many cliffhangers, I know, but I'm just full of them! Besides they do tend to build up the suspense ^_^ OK, so how did you like this part? Did it make sense and stuff? *Fingers crossed* Hope so! Hmm ... perhaps I'm to critical of myself, ne? Oh well, thanx for reading! Until next time.... 


	4. Bounty Hunted, Part IV a

A/N: OK, this is only part 4a, so there will be more to this one. And I got so many nice reviews for the last part! Thank you all so much!! You people are great!! Please r/r ^_^  
  
  
~~~  
Bounty Hunted  
---  
Part IV  
~~~  
  
  
A cool breeze blew by, chilling the bewildered boy as he stared out into the night, his vision blurred by the tears he couldn't stop. His heart felt heavy and his breathing deep, yet shallow all at once. He was so scared. So confused. So lost. "Aniki." He whispered softly into the empty ears of the darkness which entranced him. "Gene... Mel..."  
  
Losing Melfina was one thing, she had been so kind to him, so gentle and generous, almost like the mother he never had. It wasn't fair that he should lose her so soon. And Gene? Gene was that and so much more. Gene was in a sense his 'brother', his mentor, his Aniki, and the above all the best friend he'd ever had. The best he ever would. And to lose him *ever* was just wrong.  
  
"It's not fair." He muttered quietly, the salty taste of tears making itself evident upon his lips. "We came back.... We came back." He shook his head slowly in his disbelief as he turned to face the friend he'd been with all this time. The person he'd been with while the best friend he ever had was lost forever. "Hilda..." He said her name meekly. "How could this happen?"  
  
Hilda merely shook her head at this as if in response to his question, as she too held the guilt of what had happened heavily in her heart. "Hilda, how?" He again begged for an answer to the questions running relentlessly through his mind. "Why couldn't we just come back sooner?" He asked and Hilda bit down on her lower lip, not at all sure of what to say. She had no idea how to help this child coop with such a thing, with the heart ache he must feel, with the pain in his crystal eye's. She was just as lost as he was. She simply didn't have the answers he wanted so badly.  
  
"Why didn't we come back?" He demanded fiercely, his hands balling into fists at his side. "Dammit, Hilda! Why the hell didn't we come back sooner?" He was so frustrated, so scared, so sad, what was he supposed to do? What else besides lashing out was there to do? He had no idea. Hilda had no idea. Both of them were just as lost as the other, just as helpless, and it was impossible to help that. And it was times like these when Jim couldn't help but act as the scared child that he was.  
  
"Answer me, Hilda!" He begged her. "Please! Please tell me why this had to happen?"  
  
"I don't know." She finally spoke. "I have no idea."  
  
"Why?" He practically screamed. "Why couldn't we come back? Why wouldn't you let me? What was so wrong about it?"  
  
"Jim, I..." He didn't know it, but his words we cutting through her like a knife, relentlessly tearing her apart inside. But she was much to proud to let that pain show. To let him know how much he hurt her. She was much to proud for that. And so instead she just stood there, silent again as the boy broke down before her eye's. As he turned and ran into the rubble that was left of the hotel where his friends still lay, tearing at it as he did, and screaming the names of his fallen friends. Pleading so freely for there safety.  
  
She almost wished that she could be like that. That she could lash out at people and show her true feelings. But she seemed so strong, she couldn't let them know the weakness that existed almost tauntingly inside her heart. She was to proud for that. To proud to fall apart, to proud to comfort her young friend, to proud to come back to Gene before it was to late...  
  
She let her thoughts trail off at the thought, doing what she could to snap herself back into reality. The reality that he was gone. The reality that was the boy, who as she reflected on the feelings of her own was physically expressing his. Violently expressing his. And she knew that she was all he had left. That he was all she had left. All they had now was each other. Not Gene. Not Melfina. Just herself and the boy. She was all he had left, and she had to show him that she'd be there.  
  
"Stop it, Jim!" She nearly screamed at the boy. He didn't even look up from what he was doing. She knew he was mad, he had every right to be. Mad, upset, what kid his age wouldn't be? What person any age wouldn't be? And yet she refused to let things go on like this any further. "Jim!" She shouted, and he paused momentarily as he looked up at her.  
  
"What?" He cried out bitterly as he turned to face her.   
  
"Stop it. Your not helping things by freaking out like this."  
  
"Oh, really? And how the hell am I supposed to act?" He bit out, anger all to present in his voice. And then his face grew very sullen as he turned away again, not really caring at all about what Hilda had to say. He had to find Gene and Mel, that was priority one. "There in here somewhere, I know they are!"  
  
"Dammit." Hilda cursed herself in defeat. This wasn't getting her anywhere, the kid had totally lost it, he was in the worst state of denial he'd search forever if he could. She shook her head and sighed as she stared at him. What the hell was she supposed to do now? "Damn you, Jim!" She exclaimed quite suddenly, grasping the boys attention. "Driving you're self crazy isn't going to bring them back!"  
  
He looked so sad as she spoke, tears still glinting in his pain filled eye's. And yet he had no idea how bad she felt herself. How lost and scared she truly was. And if she had her way about it, he never would. She'd leave the emotions up to him.  
  
Jim took a deep breath as he stared back at her. 'Driving myself crazy?" He thought idly, his mind all to full of confusion as he let his eye's wander from Hilda's angry form to that of his own. He was filthy, he realized getting a good look at himself, his clothes a mess and his hands totally soaked in dirt and blood. His blood. His arms were cut up too. Had he really done that? He frowned at the thought, maybe Hilda was right. He was driving himself crazy. But he couldn't do that, he had to stay strong. He was an outlaw. Gene would have wanted him to stay strong. That's what Gene would have wanted.  
  
Hilda half smiled at the boy as he drifted back into reality. Harsh as it may be. "Your right." He said meekly, whipping his hands on his shirt and doing what he could to dry his eye's. "They're gone." He muttered. "It's over..."  
  
"What's over?"  
  
Jim whirled around instantly at the sound of his voice. "Gene?" He exclaimed, his voice a mix between excitement and fear. Excitement that it might be him, and fear that it was not. How could it be? And yet, there he was. His mentor, his friend, standing there wabbly and leaning on Melfina for support. "Gene!" He said again, this time with a broad almost disbelieving smile upon his lips as he immediately ran to his friends side and threw his arms quickly around the others waist.  
  
"Gene! Your all right!" He cried in joy, still holding tight to him almost afraid to let go.  
  
"Hey, easy there, Jim." Gene said, with a light laugh as he stared down at the boy. "I think I may have cracked a few ribs back there."  
  
"Oh, sorry." His apologies were quick, as he immediately let his partner go, glancing over at Melfina glad to see that she too was okay. And then it hit him. They *were* okay. But how was that possible? How could they have lived through that?  
  
Gene could see the questioning look on his young friends face, his blue eye's still staring up at him in wonder. "It was pirates." He said, and Jim looked up at him sullenly, nodding has he did.  
  
"I know." He muttered in disgust, looking away from Gene just long enough for him to let him know something was wrong.   
  
"You know?" Gene asked, now a little worried himself.  
  
Jim sighed as he looked back up at Gene, again nodding as he did. "Yeah..." He trailed off momentarily. "But, Gene, tell me, how could have you survived?" He thought it best to change the subject.  
  
"We weren't in there when it happened." Melfina spoke up, looking to Gene to explain the rest.  
  
"I figured they'd pull something like this." Gene added to Melfina's words, his face growing serious. "We got out of there about the minute they left."  
  
"Oh." Jim said nodding yet again. "Good." 'Okay, Jim, all this nodding is making you look nervous.' He advised himself mentally. But what else was there for him to do? He was just way to confused to think clearly now. It was really to much for the boy, the overwhelming reality of what was happening now. To lose his friends so suddenly and then to even more suddenly get them back. Sure, it was great to have a second chance, but somehow he just couldn't help but see this whole thing as some kind of cruel joke. A joke that had everyone laughing but him.  
  
Had he really been that excited just now? So excited that he'd thrown himself at Gene like some overwhelmed child? Overwhelmed, he was, but a child? He knew that he didn't have many years behind him just yet, but a child? A kid? He knew it was true, but he'd always been so mature. He'd gone through so much in his short life, survived so much, been so strong. He didn't cry, he didn't get excited, at least not like that. He was Gene's partner, an outlaw, a bounty hunter. But he was still a child, that much was inevitable. And yet he felt so much older, acted so much older, he always had before. Why not now? And why was the concept of it all so hard for him to grasp? Children didn't witness the things he had...  
  
"Jim?" Melfina said concerned. "Jim, are you okay?" He looked so lost, like he was a million miles away all of a sudden and not right in front of her. It was quite obvious that something was wrong. But he'd seemed so excited before, so happy, what could have possibly changed that so fast? "Jim?" She said again when he didn't answer.   
  
"Jim?" Gene broke in, his tone a little more forceful the that of the other. "Melfina asked if you were all right?"  
  
"Huh? What?" The boy sounded dazed as he came out of his thoughtful state, and Gene raised an eye brow at this.  
  
"Are you all right?" He repeated his words slowly so that he was sure Jim would hear them, a slight note of concern evident in his voice.  
  
"Oh." He said, blinking his eye's and forcing a smile. "Yeah, I'm fine."  
  
"No, your not!" Gene said seriously. "Jim what's the matter with you? And don't tell me nothing."  
  
"I'm fine." Jim turned away as he lied, doing what he could to avoid his friends vision. But Gene just wouldn't have that.  
  
"Like hell you are!" He exclaimed quite suddenly, grabbing the surprised boys shoulders and spinning him around. "Jim, it's pretty damn obvious that something's wrong. Why can't you just tell me what it is?" He shouted down at him, not even noticing the tears that were welling up in the boys pained crystal eyes.  
  
"What the hell do you think it is?" He retorted angrily, doing his best to fight the tears he hated so much. "I just thought I lost two of my best friends, Gene! Isn't that enough to make me upset??" He bit out as he felt a tear slide warmly down his cheek. 'Damn!' He thought, his anger directed mainly at himself. Not in front of Gene. He couldn't cry in front of Gene... "Dammit." He cursed himself again, this time out loud as he again turned away from his friends.  
  
Gene was taken aback by his words, he didn't quite know why, but they'd surprised him. And yet the concept of it made all to much sense to him. He of all people knew what it was like to lose someone...  
  
"We're okay, Jim." Melfina offered, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder. "You don't have to worry anymore."  
  
Jim nodded as he again brushed away his tears with the back of his hand. "Thanks Mel." He said the words he's spoken so many times to her before, and she smiled as he stared up at her.  
  
"Welcome." She replied, pleased to hear him sounding like himself again.   
  
Gene still wasn't sure of just what to say to his friend. Jim just didn't act like this, and it was hard to think of any suitable reply. And so instead after careful thought Gene decided it would be best to simply change the subject, and so asked the question that had been on his mind since they'd been attacked. "Hey, Jim." He said the words casually as his friend glanced over at him. "You don't know anyone named Dom, do you?"  
  
The words hit Jim like a ton of bricks, and the almost hopeful look he'd gotten only seconds ago was quickly replaced by one of fear. His face seemed as though it had been drained of all color, and his eye's about as wide as they could get. Had he really said what he thought he'd said? "Dom?" He muttered, his voice low and tainted by fear as Gene nodded slowly. "Why would you ask me..."  
  
Gene looked at him as confused as Melfina did worried. "Well, the pirates asked..."  
  
"Maybe we should talk about this somewhere a little more secluded." Gene was cut off, by an all to familiar voice to his right. His head whipped in the direction in shock, and it was his turn to go pale as he stared wide eye'd at the women aside Jim's car. And he shook his head slowly, in disbelief of what he saw.   
  
"Oh my God..."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
  
Gene Starwind looked on anxiously at the two sitting across from he and Melfina. They'd all left the 'hotel' about and hour ago at Hilda's request and were now boarded securely on the Outlaw Star, two of them ready to give their explanations and two all to ready to get some answers. "Well?" He said impatiently, still staring at Jim and Hilda, (but mainly at Hilda.) who merely exchanged looks before either of them spoke.   
  
"Go ahead, Jim." Hilda urged the boy beside her, receiving a sour look from him in exchange.   
  
"What?" He asked quickly. "Why me?"  
  
"Why not?" She shrugged, but then upon seeing the reluctance evident in the boys eye's, she sighed and began to speak. "All right, all right. It's very simple really." She began. "I guess they must have used some Tao spell to save that girl or something and they couldn't get to her without picking me up too. So basically that was all that happened, no big secret here."  
  
Gene looked at her thoughtfully. "So why didn't you come back sooner?" He asked quite seriously. How could she have stayed away this long if she had in fact survived? How could she have stayed away from him?  
  
"Well, you don't think they'd just let me go, did you?" She gave him a quizzical look. "It doesn't take a genius to figure out that they'd capture me."   
  
"So you were with the pirates all this time?" Melfina joined the conversation.  
  
"Some of it." She replied. "It did take me a little while to escape. If they'd have had their way I'd be dead by now."  
  
"Well, if that's the case," Jim wondered aloud. "Why didn't they just kill you in the first place?"  
  
"Jim!" Gene exclaimed, shooting the boy a look that practically screamed 'What kind of question was that?' Which Jim thought kind of strange, was Gene Starwind actually worried about him being insensitive?  
  
"No, it's a good question." Hilda said and then shrugged. "It would have been the most logical thing for them to do, I honestly couldn't tell you why they didn't. All I know is that once I got wind of their plans for you, that I had to get out of there."  
  
"Their plans for us?" Melfina was curious.  
  
"Their plans for Jim." She motioned to the boy at her side.   
  
"Jim?" Gene said turning to him. "Well, then I guess it's your turn to do some explaining."  
  
Jim looked startled by the simplicity of her story and fearful at the prospect of telling his own. How could Gene ever understand? He hated the pirates. Hated them with a passion Would he hate him too? And yet the look on his friends face was a kind one, so obviously mixed with curiosity and worry. He sighed. Not to mention frustration and impatience. How was he supposed to tell him now? How could he tell him ever?  
  
"Jim?" Gene urged the boy, to which he could only look away.  
  
"Go ahead, Jim." Melfina added softly as he bit down nervously on his lower lip.  
  
"I don't really know where to start." He said honestly, glancing back at them with nervous eye's.  
  
"How about at the beginning." Melfina suggested simply and Jim sighed. 'The beginning?' He thought to himself. 'Where the hell is the beginning?' He really wasn't sure. Perhaps when he was still young, well younger anyway, maybe that's when it had all started. The moment he was born and thrust unwillingly into his eluded fathers arms by the mother he didn't know. But there was no reason to fill them in on all the painful memories of his past. They only needed to know about what happened when he'd left. When he'd escaped. The anger they'd expressed, problems he'd caused them, and of the all to painful memory that was Dominic Hawking...  
  
"He's my uncle." He said as if in response to his thoughts, a sullen look upon his face as he continued to look away.   
  
"Who?" Gene asked confused.  
  
"Dom." He said the name bitterly. "He's my uncle. Dominic Hawking."  
  
"Dom?!" Gene exclaimed, nearly falling out of his chair, and Melfina looked surprised too. "You mean that guy the pirates were talking about?"  
  
Jim nodded. "Yeah..."  
  
"And he's your uncle?" Gene said more as a question then as a statement. Again Jim nodded. "But, Jim, he's a pirate."  
  
"No, are you serious?" The blond said in obvious sarcasm, turning back to his confused friends as he did. "Yes, Gene, he's a pirate." He responded, his arms crossed as he spoke.  
  
Gene wanted to say something right then, but his voice it seemed to have caught in his throat, leaving him to simply stare. What was Jim telling him? Was it really true? Could his young friend really be telling him what he thought he was? What he feared he was? "And what about you?" He asked in a suspiciously low voice that made a shiver run down Jim's spin.  
  
"Me too." He replied in disgust, and Gene was once again silent, lost helplessly in his thoughts. Jim sighed when Gene still didn't speak, Melfina and Hilda remaining quiet as well. But Gene? Jim had to be honest, the look on his friends face scared the hell out of him, so full of surprise, so full of anger, and he knew right then that he needed to explain things fast before he lost them forever.   
  
"I was kind of born into it." He began, glancing at his friends. "My father was a pirate, I didn't have much choice in the matter."  
  
"What about your mother?" Melfina finally spoke, and Jim shook his head.  
  
"I never really knew her, it was my father that raised me." He replied simply. "He and my uncle, and the two of them never really got along all that well. But then there was this weapon thing, my father built it, he said that it was the most powerful in space and his way of gaining some respect. I really don't think he knew at the time just how complicated things would get..." Jim trailed off for a moment, still quite unsure of how he should be telling his tale, he'd never been to good at things like this.  
  
"He thrived on it though, respect and superiority. He wanted so badly to make a name for himself, and he honestly was the most intelligent of them. He didn't belong there. Neither of us did. I think that that's why he built it, he wanted them to know him and to listen to him and to belong with them more so than before." He stopped again, lost in thought, and giving the others an occasional glance to see their reactions to what he was saying.   
  
"But no one else could use it, he couldn't have the power if just anyone could use it. That's why he made the code."  
  
"The code?" Hilda raised and eyebrow at this, sure she'd known about the pirates, but this weapon was something new to her.  
  
"Yeah, " He nodded. "It's kind of a start code, he didn't want anyone to know it. And he didn't anyone trying to figure it out so he just kept it a secret. Which everyone kind of hated him for but as long as he had that power he'd wanted so badly he didn't care. He never even thought about the consequences. He never cared that they hated him. I swear, he did care about anything! As long as he had his stupid power.... As long as he could have his damned legacy..... He didn't care..."   
  
"Oh, Jim..." There was such an essence of worry and pity in Melfina's voice that Jim could only feel worse. He knew that he was starting to sound emotional, starting sound angry. He'd done his best up until now to hide that anger, but he just couldn't help it. His heart was aching terribly at the retelling of his life and that ever present anger just wouldn't go away.  
  
"So he told me." He resumed his speech in a dark voice. "He just wanted to be sure that it stayed in the family, ya know. The Hawking legacy, he wanted it so badly. To be known, to be remembered. He could have told Dom, but I guess it wouldn't have been the same, he felt better passing it on through his son. I guess he figured that I'd be just like him, just like the others, that I actually relished the fact that I cheated and stole and hurt people daily. But I didn't! I hated it! I hated every damn thing about my life until I left. Until I met Gene."  
  
'No!' He screamed mentally. 'Don't bring Gene into this! Don't sound so angry!' "He didn't trust Dom enough to tell him." He said totally out of the blue, doing what he could to take the attention of his red hair friend. "My father did care about his brother, but like I said, they'd never really been close. And Dom had never been very trust worthy. That's why he told me. But I think that only made Dom angrier with him then he'd been before, and I guess that it kind of pushed him over the edge because the next thing I knew, my father was dead and my uncle was doing what he could to take over."  
  
"But I couldn't live with him." Jim said quite seriously. "My father was the only person I knew that I could trust even a little, and I was only kid, there was nothing what that psycho would have done to me. He'd have done anything to get that code out of me. I swear he was even crazier then my dad!" He paused as he looked around the room, sullen faces all around, wide eye's all on him, that is with the exception of Gene, who'd seemed to have found his feet to be very interesting at the moment. Which honestly scared Jim even more. If Gene couldn't even look at him...  
  
"And that's why I left. I think I would have gone anyway, but at that time I knew that I had to." He stated simply. "He'd already killed his own father, I really wouldn't put it passed him to kill his nephew too. And even if he had let me live, then who knows what I would have become."  
  
"Didn't he come after you?" Melfina wondered aloud, and the boy nodded.  
  
"They couldn't catch me. I guess I was lucky."  
  
"And this code," Hilda began. "Why didn't the just try to crack it? They certainly have the technology they would have needed to do something like that."   
  
"Dad knew that too." Jim stated simply. "That's why he programed it with a detonator. If someone tries it more than five times unsuccessfully then it'll just explode. And he made sure that everyone knew that."   
  
All was silent for a moment as the group gathered their thoughts. Jim's story made enough sense, in fact it made to much. To painfully much. For them to know that their normally cheery young friend had endured so much in his short life. That he'd held this pain inside of him for so long. And then finally there was a voice, the most unlikely of them all, and Jim's face could only grow sadder as it did.  
  
"Why didn't you tell me?" Gene asked, still not looking up, his voice low and accusing.  
  
"I- I couldn't..." Jim was at a loss of words. "I- I was afraid that you would hate me."  
  
"Don't you have any faith in me at all?" He asked, his gaze still focused on the ground.  
  
"I'm sorry." The boy apologized. "I never meant for it to be this way. I'll understand if you don't want anything to do with me anymore."  
  
"You really don't have any faith in me." His words sounded bitter as he finally looked up, running a hand through his firey hair, and Jim gasped as he realized that there were tears in his eye's.   
  
"Gene..." Jim said his friends name nervously. He'd never seen him cry before. And even with his tears as few as they were, it still seemed rather strange to him. Did he really hate him that much?  
  
"I don't hate you, Jim." Gene said as if in response to the blonds thoughts. "It'll take a lot more than a dark past to make me hate you. You can't get rid of me that easily."  
  
Jim's face lit up at this as he ran over to Gene and threw his arms around him for the second time that day. Gene returned his partners hug freely and Jim smiled. Maybe it wasn't all over after all. Not yet anyway...  
  
To be continued...  
  
A/N: OK, I'm gonna cut it off there. This part was starting to get to long! It was only like two-thirds of the way done, and I figured you people were starting to get annoyed wondering about Gene and Mel so I decided to split it up. Which means that next part wont be so long but trust me it will be *Very* important. Well, that's 'bout it for now. Thanx for reading! C'ya.  



	5. Bounty Hunted, Part IV b

A/N: OK *Ponders* Now you'd think that a shorter part would take less time to write, instead of more, ne? Gomen nasai minna! I guess I got writers block again =( Oh well, this parts here now. Oh and on a totally different subject, what do you think of the Mel/Gene/Hilda triangle I've got going here? Cause I've got some people saying how much the love the Gene/Mel stuff and others begging for it to turn out Gene/Hilda, and to be honest I love them both and can't decide between them anymore so I have a little idea for it. How would you people like it if I wrote two alternate endings? One for both of them, then everyone can be happy. Good? Let me know what you think, 'k? Please r/r!  
  
  
~~~  
Bounty Hunted  
---  
Part IV (b)  
~~~  
  
Jim's eye's were heavy as they wandered over the still forms of his sleeping friends. They looked so peaceful in their sleep, younger even. But then again sleeping had that effect on people, a peaceful sleep could let even the most troubled of souls find a brief happiness. But Jim wasn't so lucky, and sleep it seemed, for him, wouldn't come so easily.   
  
Not that he wasn't tired, not that he wasn't both mentally and physically worn out from the days events, but there was just something out there keeping the boy awake. Perhaps there was just to much on his mind, so much that it felt it simply couldn't rest. Or perhaps it was just because Jim was sort of an insomniac, due mainly to too much work. But the reason didn't really matter to him, it was annoying just the same.   
  
However he was fairly certain that it was the first one. His mind was just plain overloaded with fear and regret. Before this day he'd always thought that finally getting his story off his chest would be kind of a relief, so why did it still trouble him so? Why did this feeling of regret and uneasiness about the whole thing still linger inside of him? He really wasn't sure, and that bothered him most of all.  
  
Gene, Melfina, Hilda. He let his eye's wander over them all. They'd all fallen asleep so quickly, so easily, and in fact before they'd even reached their own quarters, leaving all four of them together safely in one room. 'There's safety in numbers.' He thought to himself, in remembrance of the day before, relieved that he was no longer the only one who felt that way.  
  
Hilda had been so reluctant to come back here. Why? The question had been bothering him for quite some time now. Was she really just trying to keep everyone safe by keeping them apart? He couldn't help but think it was more. He knew it was more. He wasn't as blind as he was thought to be, being a kid really did have it's disadvantages, but he had always been an observant one. Hilda'd had this look in her eye's the day before, this strange look that only seemed to grow more concerning to him as the evening wore on.   
  
It was Gene. He was certain of it. Had there been something between the two? He'd always had his suspicions, but never anything to back it up. But did Gene feel the same way? He really wasn't sure, not that Gene wasn't shocked to see her again, not that he hadn't been thrilled. But did he feel the same way? He had been growing closer to Melfina. Jim knew that there was something between them, it had been so obvious for so long. But now? Would this change things? Complicated things?   
  
He frowned at the thought. Like there wasn't enough to worry about *without* the thoughts of his partners hopeless love life. Since when did he care much about that anyway. He shrugged it off as he turned away, knowing that it was really none of his business anyway and that it really wasn't his concern. He had enough of those already. Enough concerns. No need to take on those of his friends too. He hardly needed anything else left resting on his shoulders, he was causing them all enough grief as it was.  
  
Jim had never been much of a fighter, he'd always hated that about himself. The thought that he actually needed their protection, that he couldn't take good enough care of himself. That he relied on his friends so much. Dangerously much. They'd fight to the death if it meant keeping him safe. A thought haunted him excessively. What if the really did? Could he really live with that kind of guilt? Could he really stand to lose them again...  
  
He shook his head at this, as though it would make these thoughts go away. He wasn't thinking strait, his mind ablaze with fear and confusion, he needed some air to clear his head. And so with a yawn, he left his friends and headed for the control panel to unlock the door, thinking that perhaps this was just what he needed to get some sleep. At the moment it was all he really wanted.   
  
"What are you doing, Jim?" The boy heard a familiar robotic voice ask barely stopping the door to open before him.  
  
"Just going out." His reply was simple, staring at the still closed door loningly.  
  
"I really don't think Gene would like that." Gilliam told the boy honestly, to which Jim could only sigh.  
  
"And since when do you always listen to Gene?" The blond asked, somewhat annoyed with the small pink machine.  
  
"Well he *is* the captain, I'm supposed to follow his orders." Was Gilliam's response. "And besides, from what I've heard, I have to say that I agree with him. You shouldn't be out there alone, plus, your not looking all that well."  
  
"I'm fine!" He was lying. He felt sick. That much was made obvious by the expression on his face and by how pale he'd grown in the short amount of time. But then again he had been through a lot, and he was quite certain to go through a lot more. That is if he didn't pass out first. Of course if he did, then at least he'd finnally get some sleep.  
  
"Jim, I'm sorry, but..."  
  
"Gil, please." Jim cut the other off in his pleas, and Gilliam couldn't help but take note of the fact that he sounded much to desperate, looked much to pale. Something was defiantly wrong here.  
  
"I'm going to wake Gene." Gilliam stated as he turned to leave the boy.  
  
"No, don't!" He stopped him. "I just need some air, that's all. I'll be fine, Gilliam please?" He didn't like the way this was going. He knew how to take care of himself, didn't anyone trust him? First Gene and now... No, he couldn't think like that. Gene had said it himself, he had to have faith. In Gene and in their friendship. He couldn't let himself think this way. He just couldn't. Besides, he had said it him self that he need their protection. Not that he really wanted it at the moment, but he did. But then again he also needed so sleep, some air, and so he stared up at his small pink friend, his azure eye's all to full of desperation. "Gilliam, please? He said again, causing Gilliam to finally give in he realized as the door slowly slid open.  
  
"Don't go far." He instructed Jim as the boy walked out into the awaiting night.  
  
"I wont." The blond promised, anxiously breathing in the cool air as he headed down the platform to the docking bay. 'Finally.' He sighed inwardly, making himself comfortable on a nearby crate. It was nice to be out of the ship again, he'd felt so trapped and constricted in there. Helplessly trapped with his own haunting thoughts and memories left as his only company.  
  
It was strange that he should feel that way. Very strange, and that scared him. Normally he would have felt just fine onboard the Outlaw star, surrounded by his friends, protected by it's walls, but now? Now it had made him almost claustrophobic. He sighed at the thought. The Outlaw Star made him claustrophobic, well that was just terrific. Gene was gonna love that one. And just what he needed too, another thing to worry about. But then again, what wasn't there to worry about anymore? Worries were everywhere, that was one thing he couldn't control.  
  
Not that it was much better outside, he was still alone, still had his memories, his worries, his thoughts, but at least he could breath. And he swore, the air of a space station had never felt so good. Maybe this was the only way to go. Perhaps seclusion was his only escape. If not from his memories, then at least from the questions. He still couldn't believe he's answered so much. He'd held everything inside for so long, shouldn't he feel better now? Now that he'd finally gotten that one immense secret off of his chest?  
  
'I guess I was wrong.' He thought sullenly. 'I guess I didn't escape the questions.' He never would. He was so full of them himself, so full of questions, so full of confusion, so lacking of answers. It made him sick to think of it. Why was he running away from it? He didn't know. His thoughts simply didn't make sense anymore. And what of his friends? Weren't they in danger right now? In danger because of him?  
  
Worries. Just more worries. They were building up inside of him, and even he knew that it was to much for him to handle. His thoughts were so muddled and out of order, and he was so lost within them. So trapped within them. It was like being alone in the dark as a child, shadows lay over everything and monsters were shrouded beneath them all. He knew that he was only a child. That those monsters were everywhere.  
  
He was quick to Bury his face in his hands, bending his knees against his chest and resting his elbows upon them for what little comfort it could give him. His friends were in danger. He was putting them in danger. He had to stay away from them, the farther he was away, the safer they were. They'd be better off.  
  
What was he thinking now? Was he actually considering running away again? Actually considering getting himself caught? No! He wouldn't think like that. He couldn't. He had to have faith, in himself as well as his friends. He had to have faith. And then...  
  
Jim's head popped up immediately at the sudden sound now protruding his ears. What was that? A clicking? No, a creaking. Was someone from a nearby ship loading up? Or maybe someone was moving the crates? He looked around curiously, all the while wondering why he even cared. He had always been a curious boy, that's how he'd learned so much, perhaps that was it. But still, it wasn't an uncommon sound, why should he care? He never had before.  
  
"Is someone out there?" He wondered aloud, and he could have kicked himself for it. There were pirates out there looking for him and here he was sitting alone in the docking bay calling out to God knows who and not even considering the fact that it might be an enemy. What was he thinking? He really hadn't been thinking clearly. Claustrophobia or not, he was much safer onboard the Outlaw Star.  
  
He was off the crate in a second, ignoring his thoughts of warning completely and peering curiously around to see just what was going on. 'Run, Jim! Get out of here!' His mind was screaming, begging, he knew he should have listened. But he didn't. He couldn't. Why? Did he really love danger that much? Did he really love the prospect of being killed or captured? Was Gene really rubbing off on him that much? Or was he just going crazy? Why couldn't he just run? He should run! But he didn't. Why couldn't he?  
  
Jim could hear himself gasp as a near by crate fell on it's side breaking him out of his thoughts as he winced at the unwelcome sound. He shook his head uneasily as he turned away from the scene. Time to get going. He'd have to be crazy to stay there any longer. And so he was on his way, back to the Outlaw Star, back to safety, back to his friends, 'There's safty in numbers' but still glancing back in everlasting curiousity as he walked. A bad I idea, he realized rather quickly, wishing all to hard that he'd been paying more attention to where he was going as his eye's grew wide at the sight of the heavy set man he'd just collided with.   
  
'Dammit!" He cursed himself, fully aware of the danger he was in now. 'Dammit, Jim! What the hell were you thinking?'  
  
"Ah, there you are boy." The man said with an ominous grin as he grabed the young blond roughly by the arm. "We've been looking everywhere for you."  
  
'Dammit!' He cursed himself again. He was so scared right now, he could feel himself shaking with fear in the mans strong grip. How could he have let this happen? He couldn't go back with this man! He couldn't go back to that life. He had to stop this. Had to get help. 'Gene' He thought fervently. Gene could help him. Gene could save him. He had to! 'He will!' "Gene! Help me!" His screams could be heard through out the night air. "Please...!"  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
  
Gene Starwind Gasped in surprised as his eye's shot open and his ears were filled with the screams of his young friend. "Jim!" He shouted back through their communicator. "Jim, where are you? What's happened?" His cries were desperate, but no avail, he realized as the only reply he received was that of the crud unwelcome sound radio static now ringing through his ears.  
  
"Gene, what's wrong?" Hilda was the first to stir at the sound of his screams, followed almost immediately by Melfina.  
  
"Damn him!"   
  
"Who?" Melfina wondered rubbing her eye's as she sat up, starring at the other worry evident in her soft amber eyes.  
  
"Jim!" Gene exclaimed in response, jumping quickly to his feet in search of his castor. To say that Gene was upset would have been an understatment. He was furious. How could Jim have left like that? What had he been thinking?  
  
  
"Gene, is everything all right?" Gilliam asked curiously as he entered the room. "I heard screaming."  
  
Gene couldn't help but glare, his hands tightening into fists as he did. "Where is he, Gilliam?" He demanded of the small pink machine. His voice monotone and icy, and unlike that of his normal self.  
  
"You mean Jim?" He asked, confused by his captains behavior. Gene nodded, glaring still. "He said he needed some air, and he didn't look so good so..."  
  
"And you just let him go?" Now it was Hilda who was shouting. She wasn't much happier than Gene.  
  
"He said he wouldn't go far." Gilliam replied simply, only now thinking of how stupid his desision had been. "Jim's a trust worthy boy, he should be okay." He hoped.  
  
"It's not him I don't trust..." Gene trailed off, looking away in his thoughts.  
  
"...It's the pirates." Hilda completed his sentence, a grave look upon both of their faces as the stared at one another.  
  
"Oh no..." Melfina added as realization of just what happened rushed over her. She was on her feet in a moment as she rushed to the ships nearest window, looing out worriedly for her young friend.   
  
"Melfina, you stay here with the ship." Gene instructed the fearful bio-android, not more than five feet away from him. "Hilda and I are going after him."  
  
"No!" Melfina exclaimed quite suddenly, turning back to them with a frown. "No, Gene! I'm coming too!"  
  
"No, Mel, I need you to stay here in case he comes back. Someone needs to be here." Gene practically pleaded with her. But he wasn't being entirely truthful. It was dangerous out there, he couldn't have her getting hurt. She had to stay safe.  
  
"All right." Melfina sighed, giving in easily as she turned back to the window. "Just go then."Her tone had been almost cold but that couldn't be worried about now and they both knew it.   
  
And so Gene simply nodded as he headed for the door, Hilda was already there and waiting, they had to go. But he couldn't help feeling bad for leaving Melfina behind. She had to stay though. If not for Jim or herself then for him. He couldn't risk her getting hurt. He wouldn't be able to forgive himself it anything should happen...  
  
"Gene, come on!" Hilda called, snapping him out of his pensive state. She frowned knowingly at the other. He was thinking of Melfina, she was certain of it. But no, she couldn't of that now. She wouldn't. Jim needed her now. He needed them. She couldn't think of that now. "Gene." She said his name again, this time her tone was more pleading and he just nodded in response as he ran to her side.  
  
  
Melfina could see them outside now, her hands pressed firmly to the glass before her as she watched them below. It was all she could do to fight back her tears as she stared on in worry. Why was this happening? Why couldn't she go? She never got to go. Why was she always left to worry like this? It wasn't fair and she hated it. "Please be careful, Gene." She whispered, her breath warm and fogging against the glass as she watched her friends disappear into the darkness. "Come back to me Gene..."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Jim's eye's were shut tight in fear, as he fought desperately to hold back his tears. His chest was burning, rising and falling redundently as he gasped for air. Pirates never had been the brightest guys around and Jim had been lucky enough to make an escape when he kicked the unsuspecting man in the shine. And now here he was, his heart pounding, his pulse racing and his lungs heaving to the point of pain as he leaned wearily against one of the crates.   
  
This was useless, he could only run so long, only run so far. But where? This docking bay here was like a maze, so cluttered with crates and an occational ship. Sure, he could see the Outlaw star from his current position, but actually getting back to it was a whole other story. That man was over there anyway. He knew he was trapped. He knew it was useless. Why couldn't have the faith Gene wanted him to? He neded it so badly now. Why couldn't he find it? It was usless...  
  
"Jim?" Someone was calling his name. "Jim where are you?" 'Gene!' Oh God, it was Gene. 'I'm over here!' He screamed mentally. 'Oh God Gene, please find me!' But he couldn't say it out loud. Gene wasn't the only on looking for him. He couldn't draw attention to himself again, he just couldn't. He was trapped, cornered. It was usless. There was nothing he could do. Nothing but stand there and wait to be found. Found by Gene with any luck.  
  
"There you are! You little brat." But apparently luck wasn't on the boys side tonight, he realized as the dark man stared coldly down at him.  
  
"No!" He screamed at the man.He couldn't go back to that! He just couldn't! "No, I wont go! You can't make me!" His immediate reaction was to run, but he couldn't. His legs were so tired, his breathing so shallow, he simply couldn't run form the man, and the only thing he accomplished by trying was falling flat on his face.  
  
Pain coursed through the boys small body as his ankle twisted beneath him, and he could only gasp in agony as the now laughing man pulled him roughly to his feet. "Good job, kid." He sneered at then boy in his grasp. "Thanks for making my job a little easier."  
  
"No!" Jim cried, still trying to pull away from the other, only causing himself more pain as he did. "Gene!" He screamed in one last feeble attempt to escape. "Aniki, I'm over..."  
  
His words were cut off abruptly by a sickening crack that made his stomache turn as he was thrown painfully into a nearby crate. And he could only pray that the sound he heard was that of the crate breaking under his weight as he felt the warm sensation of blood trickling down the back of his neck. He let the darkness overtake him willingly... He was so tired...  
  
To be continued...  
  
A/N: Well that's it for now. How was this one? Do I suck at action as much as I think I do? Hehe... I must to actually call all of this action. I dunno ^_~ Well, anyway, I hope this was OK, sorry it took so long, and let me know what you think about the alternate endings thing. Thanx for the reviews! and for reading! Later peeps! 


	6. Bounty Hunted, Part V

A/N: OK, well I'd say I'm sorry for taking so long, but that's starting to sound kind of redundant, ne? Yeah well, I'll make this quick, just wanna say thanx again to all of you who've reviewed! You people rule! I really can't stress that enough! So thanx ^_^ And now on with the fic! Please r/r!  
  
  
  
~~~  
Bounty Hunted  
---  
Part V  
~~~  
  
"Dammit!" Hilda exclaimed frustrated as Gene stared down in disbelief at the broken crate before him. He'd heard his screams, acknowledged his pleas, he would have given anything to help him, to save his young friend. But he just didn't make it. He was to late and Jim was gone. Taken unwillingly by those damned pirates back into a life he avidly hated. It made Gene sick simply thinking of it. It wasn't right. Jim didn't deserve this, no one did, and Hilda felt much the same way.  
  
She hated to see this happening, after all they'd done to keep him safe, and he just ran himself right into trouble. And then there was that code. If the pirates had Jim then they also had the code, and as worried as she was about Jim she couldn't help but let the knowledge that the pirates had anything that powerful in their hands bother her just as much. She didn't even want to know what they'd do with that weapon Jim had mentioned. The destruction would be to much.  
  
And then there was Gene, how could she not worry about him? He looked so angry and bewildered and passive all at the same time. So not like him. He really did care about that kid. She sighed at the thought. That was one of the things she really liked about him. He seemed so hard and tough at times, but just knowing that he could have that kind of compassion for an eleven year old boy that wasn't even related to him, that was an incredible thing to her. And she really respected him for it.  
  
However that did mean that he was hurting now, deeply in fact. He was worried about Jim. And she also knew that part of him blamed himself for what happened. He couldn't blame something like this on Jim or Gilliam, that just wasn't like him. He'd blame himself for the rest of his life if they didn't get him back. That was just the way he was. Hard yet compassionate. That was Gene. The Gene she knew. The Gene she loved...   
  
'No! No! No!' She shook her head firmly. This was not the time nor place to be thinking of him. Not like that. Not now. He needed her thinking clearly. For her to stay focused. He needed her to get Jim back. That's what she needed to concentrate on now. On Jim. not on his older partner. Not on Gene or her mixed up feelings. She had to concentrate on Jim.  
  
"Come on." Gene stood up quite suddenly, and Hilda blink as she realized she'd been staring at him. He turned towards her just then, walking swiftly past her almost as soon as he did, the Outlaw star now in his sights. Hilda just watched him, his face was so passive, he seemed so indifferent. He was trying to hide it. The pain and the anger. Jim was gone and he blamed himself, the mere thought of it all was ripping him apart inside, and he was just letting it. He was hiding it. He would hid it forever if he could. That was just the way he was.  
  
"Well, are you coming, Hilda?" He sounded almost angry with her. Had she stood there to long?  
  
"Gene..." Her voice caught in her throat as he turned around to face her once again. The sound of her own voice had surprised her just then. Her tone sounded so pleading. So unlike her usual cool one. She glanced down almost as soon as he looked at her, doing what she could to avoid his quizzical gaze, only to gasp as she realized that her hand was in his.  
  
"Hilda?" His tone was a questioning one as he noticed the same. Her hand was out of his immediately as she held it firmly in her own. It was beyond her to blush, but the expression on her face said much the same thing. She was embarrassed. This was ridiculous. Why was she acting this way? This simply wasn't her. She had to quit. Had to stop. Had to focus.   
  
"Let's go." Her face suddenly grew serious as she spoke. "We have to get to Jim before it's to late."  
  
"Gene looked almost bewildered by this, as Hilda walked on ahead, and he glanced at his hand once more before following along behind. Had he just imagined the whole thing? No. No, he hadn't. What was up with her? She was acting so strange. She'd been acting strange since she'd gotten back. What was up with her? And then glancing down one last time as he walked he was surprised to feel his own face grow warm. What was up with him?  
  
  
It didn't take them long to make there way through the maze of crates and back to the Outlaw Star. Melfina was quick to greet them as they arrived, dashing quickly from her place at the window and over to the panel door as it slid slowly open. "Gene!" She exclaimed as he and Hilda entered. She was almost tempted to throw her arms around the handsome outlaw, she'd been so worried, but refrained from doing so as she noticed the look of defeat upon both of their faces. "Gene, what's happened? Where's Jim?"  
  
Gene glanced back at Hilda before he replied, doing what he could to avoid the girls soft questioning eye's. "They've got him, he's..." Gene trailed off, he sounded so defeated. But he couldn't afford to feel that way. He had to stay strong. For Jim, and for Melfina, hell even Hilda. He had to stay strong for himself. He couldn't feel sorry for himself, not now. So why couldn't he stop.  
  
"Oh, no..." Melfina's face suddenly grew very sad as she stared at the other. She too had grown close to Jim. He was almost like a brother to her, and this reality hit her quite hard. Could they really have gotten him? Could they really have won? And then still gazing at Gene she noticed something strange. She could barely see his eye's and he looked awfully pale. That worried her too. "Gene, are you...?"  
  
"This is all my fault." He cut her off, an all to painful tinge of regret in his nearly wavering voice. He actually sounded more angry than he did sad. He looked angry. "I should have stayed awake, I should have looked harder, I could have done something. I..."  
  
"Stop it!" Now it was Gene's turn to be cut off as Hilda stared at him in frustration. "Stop it, Gene! Don't you dare blame yourself for this, it's not your fault."  
  
"Well, then who the hell's fault is it?" He snapped back. "I'm in charge of him, Hilda. Anything bad that happens to him is my fault. He needed me and I wasn't there, you know that's true." What was he doing? He was getting much to angry. He needed to calm down. This wouldn't help anything.  
  
"It's no one's fault Gene." Melfina joined Hilda's attempts to calm him. "Please, Gene, don't beat yourself up over it."   
  
"Dammit!" Gene shouted, pounding his fist against the wall as he did. "Why does this have to be so complicated?" He sighed as he heard himself. He still sounded defeated. Still sounded mad. He couldn't do that. It was time be strong. He had to focus. Had to help Jim. "Let's get out of here." He said, breaking the silence that had emanated the room as he headed in the direction of the cockpit.  
  
"But Gene," Melfina began. "We don't even know where we're going. We need to stop and think this through first, don't you think?"  
  
"We don't have time to think thing's through! We have to get out of here!" Gene said rather harshly, regretting his choice of tone immediately after. "I'm sorry Mel." He in a much softer voice. "I don't mean to be such a jerk, I'm just..."  
  
"Your just confused." Melfina finished for him. "And your not a jerk, Gene. It's just that under the circumstances," She thought a moment. "Well, just... Gene, you don't have to be sorry."  
  
"Thanks, Mel." He said half heartily, folding his arms comfortably over his chest as he turned to the other woman in the room. "You too, Hilda. I just need some focus here, that's all."  
  
Melfina nodded. "Yeah, and we do need to know where we're going."  
  
All was silent for a moment as they thought over Melfina's last statement. Where were they going anyway? "It's called Galatea." Hilda's arms were crossed much like Gene's as she spoke.  
  
"What?" Gene wondered looking at her with evident interest.  
  
"Galatea." She said again. "That's the name of their ship."  
  
"You mean the pirates?" Melfina asked as she too turned to Hilda.  
  
"I mean Dom." She stated simply. " That's the name of Dom's ship. That has to be where they have Jim."  
  
"And you know this how?" Gene asked her, his voice sounding almost skeptical.  
  
"Well, let's just say that this isn't the first run in I've had with the guy, okay?" She said the words dully, as though it should come as no surprise to them. And the more Gene thought about it, it really shouldn't have. This was Hilda after all. The mysterious, thought to be dead outlaw, who had quite an interesting share of enemies, so why not Dom?  
  
"So," Gene began, a somewhat hopeful look on his face. "Do you know where they are?"  
  
"Galius most likely." Hilda spoke slowly as though she was thinking. "That's where you tend to find them when they're hiding out, just north west of Galius. It's..." She paused a moment as the others eyed her curiously. What if she was wrong? The question hit her suddenly, and she turned away from them at the mere thought. How could she stand there staring into those hopeful prying eye's of there's if she wasn't totally sure? And she wasn't. Not totally. Maybe she shouldn't have said anything at all.  
  
"Hilda?" Gene sounded confused, she'd waited to long. Been silent to long. "Hey, are you gonna tell us the rest or not? Where the Hell is Galius?"  
  
Hilda sighed as she turned back to them. She knew she looked stupid. Why did she even care? She wasn't sure. Why was she worrying over such trivial things? Not that Jim's being kidnapped was even the slightest bit trivial, but to worry over something so ordinary as giving instructions. That just wasn't like her. "It's a star." She finally spoke, avoiding their eye's as she looked did. "A small one, just above Karanon."  
  
"Karanon?" Gene pondered. He'd had obviously heard of the place before, but where? He wasn't quite sure. "That sounds familiar." He said in his thoughtful state. "Isn't that place a resort or something? That doesn't make any sense. Why would they want to be in an area with so many tourists??"  
  
"It's neutral territory." Hilda explained, still staring past them rather than directly into those piercing blue eye's. "It's a good place for them to hide out."  
  
"Oh." Gene nodded. Now that did make sense. "So that settles it then. Gilliam?"  
  
"Yes, Gene?" Asked a previously silent Gilliam. (Now that's not something you hear everyday o.O)  
  
"Set the coordinates for Galius." He replied. And the rest went like clock work, Gene hopping into his pilot seat as Melfina was lowered into her chamber, Hilda too taking her appropriate place in the cockpit. However Gene was quite annoyed to find just how long it would take before they were cleared for take off, sitting for nearly a half an hour as they awaited further instructions. He wasn't even smiling this time as they were thrown into space. Usually the prospect of adventure excited him, but not now. Not with Jim's very life on the line if they screwed up. It was strange taking off without him.  
  
Gene sighed. He was growing soft and he hated it. He'd promised himself long ago that he wouldn't let himself be like this. Promised that he wouldn't care this much about anything. Anyone. Caring that much only got you hurt in the end. Caring that much only made you lose it. Gene frowned at this, he couldn't let himself think that way. Not now. Jim would be okay, he would see to that. He had to. "I'm coming, Jim." He whispered so that no one else could hear. "I promise I wont lose you too." And with that he prayed silently that he wouldn't break another promise that day.   
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
  
Jim felt lost as he lay there, trapped helplessly in his maze of a mind. So full of questions. So many unanswered questions, desperately entwined in that strange void of empty thoughts. He was laying on a platform of some kind, the cold hard surface making itself uncomfortably evident beneath his small body. Metal most likely, the pirates never had been ones for comfort. 'The pirates?' Jim's eye's snapped open at the thought, and he was sitting up briefly before the rooms gravity pushed him back down. He squeezed his eye's shut tightly as his head it the metal surface, bringing his now noticeable headache to an all time high as he did what he could to block out the light. His head was throbbing with pain at that moment, the ability to think clearly now a distant memory. And the fact that his whole body ached immensely didn't help matters in the least.  
  
What had happened to him? He didn't remember. Couldn't remember. He was so lost right now. So confused, and even the simplest tasks as piecing it all together seemed almost unbearable. Painful. And yet he had to think. Had to remember. He knew he did. But first he'd have to sit up. Laying down only made him tired, and he couldn't fall asleep. Who knew how long he'd be out if he did? He might even have a concussion, and he probably did seeing as his head hurt the way it did. The fact that he could barely think in sentences. Weren't you supposed to stay awake when you had a concussion? He didn't remember that either. All the more reason to sit up. To stay awake.  
  
And so, painful as it was he forced himself to do it. His head was in his heads in a second, it was as if the whole room was spinning beneath him. Spinning fast. He was so dizzy, and it was all he could do to keep consciousness as he leaned himself against the wall, wincing at the chill of the cold metal on his back. 'Breath, Jim. Breath.' He followed his own instructions, taking in a few pained breathes as he again tried to think clearly.  
  
He remembered leaving, remembered running, and all to vaguely remembered being caught. And Gene's voice. "Jim! Where are you?" It was still ringing in his ears. His was too. "Gene! Aniki, I'm over..." He'd never completed the sentence. Gene hadn't saved him. He hadn't been able to. This was his own damn fault and he knew it. It was his fault he'd been caught. His fault he was here. It was his fault and yet he knew perfectly well that Gene was beating himself up over it.  
  
And here he was. Where was here? He wasn't sure. All that he knew was that the room was made of metal and that it was in some sort of gravity chamber. That much had been obvious, but as for the rest of it, he just didn't know. Maybe if he opened his eye's. Maybe then he could see. It wouldn't be so dark. So empty. But could he really endure the blinding pain that came with it? That of the light bouncing off the walls, into his eyes and making his headache even worse. That was the last thing he needed. He had to think clearly now and a headache any worse than what he already had could only make that harder.  
  
It was another half an hour before his eye's were open and he was sitting up without the aid of the wall. He still didn't quite have his balance back yet, but he could stand now if he wanted to, could take a look around. What he saw was more or less what he'd expected, his current area of residence being a tiny white clad room interlay made of metal. This type of cell was common amongst the galaxies more powerful pirates. His fathers ship had cells like these, complete with the gravity enhancer. Perhaps this was his fathers ship. The place he'd grown up. It did seem awfully familiar, and besides he really wouldn't have put it past his uncle to take his fathers ship. After all, taking his own brothers' life sure hadn't been to much trouble.  
  
He sighed at the thought, his shoulders slumping as he let his mind wander. His father hadn't been such a bad guy, not really. Sure, he did find pleasure in killing and maiming and plenty of other horrible things but he was still his father. And he wasn't so bad with Jim. Neither of them belonged there. And the thing that probably hurt him the most was just how much his father had cared for Dom. Not that he trusted his younger brother at all, not that he could, but there'd always been this bond between them. One his father cared about deeply. What could have happened to change things so? Why did Dom have to change?  
  
Not that Jim's uncle had ever been that great of a guy, or that he'd ever liked him much but he was his uncle and he did help raise him. What could have gone so wrong? Was he really that power hungry that he'd just kill his own brother? None of it made any sense to Jim. Not a single part of it. Why did the only family he had have to be such a jerk? Dom was his uncle, shouldn't he care about him? Shouldn't he love him? Isn't that what family was supposed to be? His father had loved him. Loved him enough to trust him with the legacy he'd wanted more then anything. The one Jim would stop at nothing to destroy. Was he betraying his dad? Was Dom betraying him?  
  
Jim shook his head as the thoughts rushed over him. Why did he even care what Dom thought? Uncle or not Jim himself had never loved the man. He hated him. Why should he expect anything different? He didn't know. He was to confused. Maybe this was his concussion taking. Maybe it was making him crazy. Yeah, that had to be it. He was simply going crazy.  
  
He took a few deep breaths as he stood to his feet, a difficult task under the current conditions, what with his injuries and the accelerated gravity. Standing in itself was pure torture to the boy, and as it was he nearly fell over as a sharp pain shot through his leg. He's forgotten about twisting his ankle, just one more complication to check off the list. But he had to stay standing. Had to get his barrings. Had to see strait. He was just lucky that the gravity in the room was only double what it should be, any stronger and he wouldn't even have been able to sit up strait, if at all. He almost laughed at his own thoughts. He was lucky? What a joke. Since when had luck been on his side?  
  
Jim turned to his left as he continued his observation of his tiny cell. There was the door, it was right beside him, the only way to get out. He frowned at his only path of escape almost bitterly, that door was at least a third of a foot thick and locked from the outside. There was no way out for him there. No way out for him at all. Unless... He glanced up briefly at the metal bars covering the tiny window at the top of the door. "Hey..." He coughed suddenly in his attempt to yell, he hadn't thought of how weak his voice would be now. "Hey!" This time he cleared his throat before shouting, more pleased with the results then he'd been before. "Let me the hell out of here!"  
  
Immediately there was a pair of brown eye's peering in at the boy through the thick white bars. "Hey your awake." The guard uttered as he stared down at Jim, laughing slightly at what he saw. "Damn kid, you look like shit."  
  
'Okay, Jim, here you go.' And he again cleared his throat before speaking again. "Like you look a whole hell of a lot better." He retorted at the guard. Kin. The name flashed briefly through his mind. He had been was one of his fathers guards. So this was the ship he'd grown up on. "At least I can get cleaned up, your just screwed either way."  
  
"And what the hell is that supposed to mean?" The man shouted back.  
  
Jim just shook his head. "Damn, your stupid too."  
  
"Go to hell, kid." Kin turned away, and Jim smiled a little in his on coming triumph.  
  
"Come anywhere near me and I'll be there." The boy laughed lightly as the guard turned back to him, irritation evident in his eye's. His plan was working well.  
  
Kin glared at the boy behind the bars. "Why don't you shut the hell up, you little brat!"  
  
"Make me, asshole!"  
  
"Damn you!" And with that he could hear the man fumbling with the keys. 'Yes!' The boy mentally cheered himself. 'Thank God for making pirates so stupid!' This had worked more quickly then he'd thought. A lot, more quickly and he couldn't help but grin at that.  
  
It was only a matter of seconds before the door slid open, quickly revealing the tall hulk of a man standing behind it. 'Whoa.' Jim thought to himself. 'Kin's been working out.' And with that he made a quick mental note not to insult someone until he could see more than their eye's. Okay, so what was he supposed to do now? Sure the door was open, but there was also a large, muscular and overly ticked off man blocking his path. Damn concussion. He still couldn't think clearly. If he could have then he'd have known better then too get this man so angry without any further planing. What the hell had he been thinking?  
  
'Run!' That was the boys' first instinct as the guard continued to glare at him. But where? There was no where! 'Dammit!' Why couldn't he think clearly? Everything was spinning again, he felt so light headed. Why couldn't he see clearly? Why were his legs so wobbly? Why did he feel so heavy?  
  
Kin laughed at Jims' current state. "Should've known you were all talk." And with that he back handed the boy so hard that it spun him completely around before he hit the floor. In a second the blond was swimming in darkness. Or perhaps drowning would be a more appropriate phrase, he couldn't breath, couldn't get out. Couldn't see. Couldn't think. All he could do was lay there in pain as he instinctively covered his head with his hands to protect himself from further injury.  
  
"Awe, dammit, Kin. Don't kill the boy." The voice sounded distant. Reality seemed so far away.   
  
"The little brat was making an ass out of me."  
  
"Seems to me you do a good enough job of that yourself, you idiot! Now get the hell out of here before you ruin everything!"  
  
Now it was his ears that he covered as Jim tried did his best to tune out the shouting. Distant as it was, the sound of it made his head pound even harder and he couldn't stand it. 'No.' He thought. 'No, I can't give up now. I can't!' He couldn't just lay here. He couldn't let it end like this. 'Get up, Jim.' But his body didn't respond. 'Dammit Jim! Get the hell up!' This time he tried to listen, fighting his hardest just to move. 'Come on, come on.' He urged himself as his eye's fluttered painfully open, once again letting in that damned light that had hurt so much before. What he saw next made him gasp, as he forced himself to sit up.   
  
"Well, well, well," The voice that had been so distant before now seemed painfully close. "We meet again, James." The words were spoken all to calmly as their owner sneered down at the boy below.   
The man was still a blur to him but that once distant voice was unmistakable now, and it spent an overwhelming sense of defeat through the already bewildered boy. He couldn't move. Couldn't think. All he could do was stare up bitterly into the icy eye's of his uncle. It was all over now...  
  
To be continued...  
  
A/N: How was that? I dunno, I don't think I really liked that part, but I keep getting writers block and I had to get something out. Forgive me! Please! *Ahem* Yeah, well, the next part'll probably be a shorter one. I'm not sure yet. But anyway that's 'bout all I've got to say here. *Yawns* I got to go to bed! So C'ya later. And thanx for reading!! 


	7. Bounty Hunted, Part VI

  
A/N: Jeez this one took me awhile, huh? Hehe...^^;; Gomen! Gomen! Gomen! Honestly though, I had writers block for about ever and then when I finally got started writing again my stupid modem stopped working and I was stuck offline for a few weeks. I have *SO* much stuff to catch up on! But anyway, this parts nice and long for ya, and there's lotsa Jim angst! Always fun! Actually it's kinda confusing though format wise, cause I jump around a lot and Jim's having some dream/memory sorta things, so every time you get to one of those it'll have these thingys *** (Asters, I know) like so, so that you kinda know what's going on.   
  
Other than that I'm just gonna go on and thank all of you reviewers again, even if some of you do seem kinda angry with me for taking so long. *Grins* But that's OK, can't say I blame ya there! So anyway, just thanx to all of ya! Your all so great! This part might not even be out yet if you all hadn't been on me about it, so thanx! Alrighty, that's enough of my rambling, if I don't shut up now then I'll go on forever. So I'm done! Go on, read! Enjoy! And have fun! ^^;;   
  
  
~~~  
Bounty Hunted  
---  
Part VI  
~~~  
  
  
Gene felt himself grow a bit queasy as he gazed into the darkness. So this was really it? This was the only way to save Jim? The outlaw frowned at the thought, he didn't like this. Not one bit. Not at all. But if it was really the only way... 'I have to do it.' He nodded to himself. 'This is the only way. Jim needs me now, I can't let him down.' And yet as he stared out into the open space before him it was like he was a kid again. Alone again and lost again and afraid again and surrounded by nothing more than the dark recesses of this cold bleak hell. But if this was the only way...  
  
"Gene, you ready?" He didn't respond. Just stared, his eye's unblinking at the darkness before him. 'But how can I...?'  
  
"Gene? Gene, are you all right?" Still no response. "Gene... Please?"  
  
"Just give him a minute, Melfina." Hilda instructed the teen, both their eye's locked tightly on the red-haired outlaw. "Just let him think this through, he'll be okay."  
  
"Oh..." Melfina sighed, letting her head fall as if in defeat. She really couldn't see how either of them could go through with this, not with the things they'd gone through in life, the memories they had. And yet it did make sense, and it was the only way.   
  
Visions of Hilda's 'death' flashed through her mind. Hadn't this been how it happened? By passing from one ship to another with nothing more than a single metal cord between life and death. Even though by some strange twist of fate Hilda had survived, what was there to stop her this time? What was there to stop Hilda or Gene or even herself from slipping from that cord and toppling helplessly into space? Luck? Strength? Fate? All of these things had saved Hilda once before, but what if they weren't so lucky this time, what if this time they weren't strong enough, and what if this time their fate was destined to be a different one? One where they couldn't make it and Jim was left to live the rest of his life with those he hated, or even worse, to not live at all. And Gene? What if he couldn't make it? What if she did and he didn't? How could she live without him?  
  
She heard Hilda's sigh as she turned away, biting down on her lower lip in evident worry. Why was she doing this to herself? Why was she giving in so soon, thinking only of what ifs and despair and of Gene all at once? Why couldn't she think positively? Why was she suddenly so scared? Of losing Jim? Of losing Gene? What if she lost Gene? "Are you going to be okay?" Hilda asked. "If you don't think that your up to it, you can stay here. Gene and I can handle things."  
  
"Yeah, you'd like that wouldn't you?" The question caught both of them off guard, even Melfina was left in surprise as she spun around to see the other. Was that how she really felt? Was she jealous? Of Hilda?  
  
"And what exactly is that supposed to mean?" Hilda said the words calmly, but not without a hint of annoyance.   
  
'It means that you'd really rather be alone with Gene and not have me to tag along...' Melfina couldn't believe the bitterness of her thoughts. Of her own voice. It just wasn't like her. She didn't think that way. Didn't think that deeply. Not even about Gene. But Hilda and Gene? Anyone and Gene? She shook her head at the thought, not wanting to believe that she'd come up with such horrible images. Especially not when she had other things to worry about. Especially not when Jim was in trouble. "Nothing." She stated still shaking her head, dark hair falling conveniently in her horrified eyes. "I'll be fine, lets just go."  
  
Hilda nodded, albeit uncertainly. Since when did Melfina sound so defensive, did she really think that she had ulterior motives for leaving the teen behind. She really didn't want her getting hurt, or being in the way, and even if the thought of being alone with Gene had briefly crossed her mind didn't Melfina know that it was more important to get Jim out of there than it was for her to spend any time with Gene right now. Such things would have to wait till later, and not just for Hilda but for both of them, and for Gene. After this was all over with they'd have time to figure things out. But until then they had to get moving, and they had to do it now.  
  
"Gene?" Now it was Hilda who interrupted his stares. "Gene, are you ready?"  
  
"Yeah." Gene spoke slowly as he nodded. "Let's go."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
***  
  
It was a soft laughter that filled the air. That of a child. That of his own. But the sound was barely audible to Jim, it seemed so distant, so far away. To far away. But the child was right there, laughing cheerily as he sat, still nearly untouched by the dark reality he would soon come to know as his own life. And Jim could see him there, the baby blue eye's wandering curiously about the room, the thick tufts of golden hair falling wildly atop the boys head.  
  
Jim guessed that he was about five then, if he was laughing he'd still have to be so young. To young to fully comprehend just what was happening to him and where he was and who he would become. What he would become. And as Jim looked on at the youthful image of himself he knew halfheartedly that it was probably the last time he'd laugh in years. The last time he'd be happy. The last time that those angelic eye's would shine with the rightful hope that every child deserved. Hope and innocence, he knew that this day would end it all. This was a day that he remembered all to well. A day he could never forget.  
  
"Hey, Jimmy." Came a painfully familiar voice from behind the boy. And as Jim's head snapped in it's heart wrenching direction he could feel himself becoming that child once again, no longer just an onlooker as the past he knew to well again unfolded before his barely innocent eye's.  
  
He'd knew well enough that the voice was his fathers. He knew it instantly, and yet the mans appearance escaped him now as he peered up at the pirates strangely blurred form. The child smiled instinctively, but in the back of his mind Jim was near tears. He wanted so desperately to see this man, to make out his features, to make out his face. But he couldn't, everything seemed faded and foggy. But just to hear that voice, it was like music to the young boys ears, it had been so long since he'd last heard it and he'd never realized just how much he missed it. "You about ready to go?" Just to hear that voice...  
  
Jim nodded hastily in evident excitement. "Yup!" He beamed, anxious at the thought of for once not being forced to stay behind. Today was a very special day, a life changing day, one that he'd been waiting for as long as he could remember. A day that Jim wished would never have taken place. And yet the child was happy. Exceptionally happy. So sure that he was ready for what the day would bring, anything was better than being forced to stay by himself. Anything.  
  
"Good." The blurred figure sounded almost relieved as he motioned the boy to his feet. "I actually thought it was a bit soon." He paused, taking a breath as he gazed down at the grinning boy. "But Dom said that it was about time, and after careful thought I really had to agree." He paused again in thought, but his son only continued to smile. "And besides, you don't want to be left behind all the time do you?"  
  
"No way!" The boy shook his head firmly, an action Jim wished that he could stop. "Nop! Daddy, I wanna go with you." He said crossing his arms over his chest, getting to his feet, and putting on the most serious face that he could muster. He knew he had to impress this man, his father, if he really wanted for him not change his mind. And he would, wouldn't he? 'Tell me no, Dad. Please tell me no!' Jim was screaming beneath the child's serious facade. Pleading. Begging. But he couldn't stop the words that next escaped his lips as he stood there in his obvious wish to impress this faded man. "I'm ready."   
  
He said those words with conviction, nodding as he did. And his father nodded back in an almost relieved approval, an obvious pride shinning in those eye's that Jim still couldn't see. "Then let's go, the..."  
  
"Hey, James, get the your ass out here. C'mon! Are you coming or what?" The dreaded voice of Jim's uncle rang through the room.   
  
"Yeah, we're coming, one-second." He called to his brother, and then turned back to Jim. "We'll probably get separated." He stated simply. "You're sure you really want to go?"   
  
"I'm ready." Jim repeated the words boldly as he headed for the door. "Aren't you coming Dad? Uncle Dom said we had to go now!"  
  
James smiled proudly at his son as he left the room. Shoulders back and standing tall, doing his best to look tough and capable. " Good." The man nodded yet again. "Then lets go, kid. I'm sure you'll do great." And the boy, obviously happy by his fathers words continued to stand tall as he walked. 'Yup!' The child thought proudly. 'I'll do great!' So why did he still have his doubts about even going? And what was this vision on impending doom flashing before his still hopeful eye's? And why was he suddenly so sure that he wouldn't be quite so happy by the days end? And how did he know already that his hope was about to be lost forever?  
***  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~   
  
Gene about held his breath as he inched his way down the cord. But he wasn't quite so scared anymore. He didn't feel quite as sick. He knew he'd found his motivation in wanting to help his young partner. In needing to save his young friend. It was strange that he'd pick now to remember all the fights they'd had. All the pointless arguments that had pushed his friend away. And of the most recent, the one that could quite possibly have sealed the boys fate. The one that may very well take away his best friend. 'No.' If he could have shook his head and kept his concentration he would have, but now was not the time for doubts. Now was not the time for fear or remorse. Now was the time for action. Now was the time for Gene to bring Jim back. Now was the time to save the best friendship he'd ever have.  
  
"Gene, do you read me? Are you okay?" Hilda's voice broke through his thoughts.  
  
"Huh?" He hadn't even noticed that he'd stopped moving.  
  
"Are you okay? She asked again.  
  
"Fine," He replied simply. "I'm just great."   
  
"Yeah, well this isn't exactly a walk in the park for me either." She responded to the obviously sarcastic remark. "So if you could please hurry your ass up I'm sure we'd both appreciate it."  
  
"Yeah, Gene. You can do it." Melfina chimed in, her voice slightly lacking of it's usual enthusiasm.   
  
Gene sighed as he again began his ascent. "Jeez, whose stupid idea was this again anyway?"  
  
"Well, gee, Gene, I guess we would have been better off just busting in there without thinking at all and most likely getting ourselves caught right away by the mass numbers of pirates anxiously awaiting are arrival, huh?" Hilda replied in evident sarcasm, to which Gene could only sigh more.  
  
Melfina frowned, this was not the time to be arguing. And yet, it was like part of her was strangely relieved. If Gene and Hilda were fighting than... 'Maybe they're not...' Why did she feel she had to worry about this? Could he really have feelings for someone else? For Hilda...? Why did she suddenly have such worries? Why did she suddenly have so many doubts? And why at a time like this? "What is wrong with me?" She said the words under her breath, but muffled as they were Gene couldn't help but hear the evident sorrow in her wavering voice.  
  
"Melfina? He ventured. "Are you okay back there?"  
  
"Yeah." Her voice was low and unconvincing. "I'm fine, Gene. Keep going."  
  
Gene frowned now too, what was bothering her? Was it Jim? Was she just worried about Jim? Was she worried about herself? Somehow he really doubted it. He was sure that it was something more, and he was almost certain that it had something to do with him. "We're almost there." He stated in his search for something positive.  
  
"Okay Gene, you know what to do when we get there, right?" Hilda asked him from behind.  
  
"Gee, Hilda, am I supposed to open the door maybe?" More sarcasm, just what they needed.  
  
"Yeah, slowly and carefully and as quietly as possible." She replied sounding somewhat annoyed. "This part of the ship is pretty secluded but they might be expecting us, in fact it's more likely then not, so be on your best guard."  
  
"Yeah, I know." He said in agreement with her words. He knew he shouldn't be making jokes, not now. That he should act as concerned as he really was, but all of this, it was just to much. Hilda'd been acting so strangely before, and now Mel too? Then with Jim still missing and in trouble, it was all just too much. He was just so mixed up right now, what was wrong with everyone, what was wrong with him, and why wasn't he able to think solely of Jim right now? Only of his missing best friend? Now wasn't the time to make jokes, and now wasn't the time to worry about the others strange behavior, now was the time for action. Now was the time to get serious. Now was the time to find Jim.  
  
~~~~  
  
Silence. Darkness. Something wasn't right here. Gene held his castor firmly before him, ready for whatever obstacles may be waiting ahead. But there weren't any, they were completely alone. No creaking, no whispers, no evidence of any type of life ever inhabiting this area of the ship. Something was defiantly wrong. Hadn't Hilda said they'd be expecting them? That they'd be waiting? Waiting for a fight? It was what Gene had thought himself, so where was everyone? Why hadn't they been attacked yet?   
  
"This is way to easy." Gene offered his opinion on their current situation. "This has to be a trap of some kind."  
  
Hilda nodded as the other spoke. "But what?" Her voice was low and serious. "What do they have planned for us?"  
  
Melfina lowered her head in thought, she had no idea what to say now, surprise attacks and traps weren't really her area of expertise. "Maybe they really weren't expecting us. Maybe we're just lucky."  
  
"Of course they're expecting us, Melfina. This has to be a trap." Melfina could feel herself tense up at Gene's words. Suddenly she felt like such an idiot.   
  
"I'm sorry, Gene. I guess it was a pretty stupid thought."  
  
Gene sighed at the tone of her voice, he was so good at hurting her. He'd have to work on that. "There's nothing stupid about being hopeful, Mel, but now is really not the time to take things for granted. We can't be that optimistic just yet, it's not safe."  
  
"Yeah, besides, Melfina, there's a chance that you might be right here. Pirates never have been known for their intelligence."  
  
They were just humoring her and she knew it, why couldn't they just be honest with her? Did she really come off as being that helpless? As that weak and fragile? And if so, could they really doubt it? They're the ones that made her that way, always taking care of her and doing everything for her. Not that she didn't appreciate it but it really got quite frustrating. She knew what she could and couldn't take, why could they see that? "No, your right." She said firmly. "Something's wrong here. You DON'T have to pretend with me!"  
  
Gene was taken aback by both her words and her tone. She sounded so serious and almost angry and not much like herself. "Mel, are you all..." His words were cut off by a sudden sound behind them. "What the..."  
  
"The wall, Gene, it's closing in." Melfina observed in shock as she watched the steel wall behind them move slowly cutting them off from the rest of the hall.   
  
"Dammit!" Hilda exclaimed at the sight. " They're locking us in, we've got to get out of here!" She shouted to the others as she ran in the direction of the still moving wall, obvious as it was that she wouldn't make it there in time. " Dammit!" She cursed again, pounding her fist into the wall as it came to a stop. "Well, this is just terrific."  
  
"What do we do now?" Melfina asked gazing at the wall where Hilda stood, her voice still held a touch of frustration at it's depth.   
  
"We run like hell to get past that wall up there!" Gene stated grabbing Melfina's hand and running rapidly down the corridor. Hilda wasn't far behind.  
  
"Hurry!" She called catching up to them. "If we don't get down there we'll be stuck in here!"  
  
But their attempts were in vain they realized as the wall stopped moving just short of their arrival. They were trapped now, how could they possibly escape? No doors, no windows, no nothing. Just walls. Just trapped. And they were all silent as they stood there, all in disbelief. Had they really just been caught that easily? It seemed so unfair. They'd been so sure that they were ready for anything, and now... Now there was nothing. Nothing at all.  
  
Gene sighed as he leaned up against the wall, how could he have been caught this easily? So easily? How could he have let Jim down like this? Let them all down? "Jim, I'm so..." But he never got the chance to finish that sentence as his mind went blank and his thoughts disappeared. Gene hit the hard metal floor with a painful thud, looking over at the others on the ground beside him just before his own vision came to an end. Darkness was all that was left of him now. Darkness... and the faint odor of gas as it filled his sleeping nostrils.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
***  
The scent of burning flesh was a bitter one. One which caused the child's stomach to twist and contort at its' very command as the putrid odor filled his nostrils. "Dammit, Jim, don't just stand there!" The boy frowned, he could barely hear his uncles' words over their screams. This wasn't what he'd thought it would be at all.  
  
They'd said this was his initiation into their world, that the job would be an easy one, that he'd enjoy himself. That's what they'd said, but he never could have imagined this. They'd raided a small out of the way farming community on a planet whose name he couldn't remember. And what right or reason did they have to do this? These people were farmers, they were poor, the didn't have anything worth taking, and yet it was their screams that filled the night air. But what was their reason?  
  
Was this their idea of fun? That had been what they'd told him, that he'd have fun, so did they really find this fun? This blood and this horror and this death, were they actually enjoying it? Was that really why they were here? He already knew that it was, and that one thought sickened him more than any other. Because he wasn't having fun. How could he be? Pain, death, distraction, fear, it felt as though he was drowning in it. As though it was burying him, suffocating him, overtaking him, and he couldn't stop it. He was drowning in their so called fun, and he hated it. Hated everything about it. And he already hated where his life was going.   
  
The boy gasped in surprise as he suddenly hit the ground. "God dammit, what the hell were you thinking?" Came his uncles' angry voice as he rolled away from the boy he'd just knocked down and climbed quickly to his feet. "You can't just stand there, you'll get yourself killed.   
  
Killed? Dead? He hadn't even noticed the man who'd fired the shot at him. Hadn't even thought that he might be killed, but in all actuality would that really be so bad? If these people had to suffer then why shouldn't he? Why should he be spared only to watch others die? To hurt and main and destroy, like those he was with? To become the murder that they were? The murder his own father was? Maybe he should let himself get killed, maybe in the long run that would be for the best. Maybe that would stop him from becoming the murder he was destined to become. Maybe it would save him.   
  
"Sorry." The boy said nonchalantly as he too got to his feet and dusted himself off.  
  
"SORRY isn't going keep you alive!" The man growled, glaring down at his little nephew, anger and resentment evident in his icy eye's. "Your really pissing me off here, Jim. Maybe this coming and standing around shit is good enough for that idiot brother of mine but if you want to prove yourself to the rest of us then you'd sure as hell better stay out of the way and do something useful. Because I swear to you, Jim, I'll gladly let die next time. Your a worthless little brat as far as I'm concerned and I really don't give a damn whether you live or die."  
  
Jim sighed as he looked down, suddenly his feet had become very interesting. What was he supposed to do? He wanted to yell back at this man. To tell his uncle that he didn't care, that he couldn't do it, but he knew well enough that it would do him no good. He didn't want to be this way though, didn't want to be a killer, how could he ever live with himself?   
  
Suddenly it was his father he was angry with, why hadn't he prepared him for this? Why hadn't he explained things to him? Why had he kept him so sheltered from the world around him? His world? Did he want better things for his son? Did he want him not to be a part of this? Did he want to get away from it all himself? The questions were to much for the little boy to answer now, and in fact he feared that they always would be. They'd always be just out of his reach, and as he grew so would they. He knew he'd never find those answers. Somehow he knew...  
  
"Unbelievable." The menacing voice of his uncle again cut into the boys thoughts. "You're a damned fool, kid!"  
  
Jim sighed gazing away from the other, barely able to mutter another muted, "Sorry" as he kicked up some of the rich soil beneath his feet. He heard Dom curse to himself as he looked on at the 'ungrateful little boy' digging his toes into the ground. Jim knew that he was watching him, knew that he was waiting for him to do something. That he was testing him. And yet he remained silent. Remained motionless. And his uncle'd remain angry and annoyed and way past the point of being patient with him. He'd crossed that bridge a while ago, and Jim felt almost bad for making him wait any longer than he already had.  
  
It wasn't as though he didn't want to obey his uncle, but what else was he to do? Was he to destroy like this man? Was he to kill? Jim bit down hard on his lower lip as the thoughts drifted over him. Was that really what he was meant to do? Was that what was expected of him? He wished his father was there, he could easily ask his father, but Dom? He didn't want to ask his uncle such things. He couldn't. Wouldn't that make him angrier still? Wouldn't he be annoyed by the boy's ignorance? Wouldn't he rant and rave and curse his very father for the child's mistakes? For the stupidity of his questions? Wouldn't he? 'I'll just keep quite.' Jim decided. 'But wont that make him angry too? What am I supposed to do...?'   
  
"Help..." The cries were faint and distant but Jim could hear them well, cutting through his thoughts at their pained sound. "Help me... please... help...."  
  
"Whose there?" The boy was suddenly on his best guard again, his head popping up at the sound of her voice.   
  
"Please...." Jim watched in horror as the little girl approached him, watched in horror as she pleaded for his help. For the help he longed to give her. The help he wished he could. She was quite a sight, that girl. Her long black hair was just one big blood matted mess that sat upon her blooded head falling over her pale bruised face and into her striking blue eye's. Such pale eye's. They burned into the boy, the eye's of this girl. Of this child who couldn't have been any older than he was himself.   
  
She held her arm as she limped before him, and blood spilled between her tiny fingers as it poured from her open wound. One of her legs was bleeding too. Blood was everywhere, and the girl was totally covered in the dark crimson liquid. But she wasn't crying, not in a way that anyone could see. Not with tears, not from the pain. Jim could swear that he felt her pain right then, felt her heart beating steadily with his. Rapidly with his. And he stared back into those innocent eye's, so clear that he could see the refection of his own in their gleam. His mouth agape as he looked on. "Please...."  
  
"Catch." Jim gasped as he caught the gun, and watched horrified as hid uncles' lips curled into a sickeningly deceitful smile.   
  
"But..."  
  
"Now is the time, Jim." Dom cut the devastated boy off. "Now is your chance to show me what your really made of."  
  
"But... No... I..." Jim's breathing increased as he turned his attentions back to the girl and trailed off in his thoughts.   
  
"No... Plea-please don't..." He could tell it hurt her just to speak, just begging for her own survival. It hurt him too, hurt him more than anyone could have imagined. She, this girl, she was only a child. How could they do this to a child? How could anyone be so heartless? This girl had dreams, she had ambitions, she had such a long life ahead of her. Her life had barely just begun. How could someone be so ruthless as to take all of that away from her? To take her family from her too. He knew that her family was already gone, even if they'd managed to survive this long they'd be dead soon. Would she be there to join them? Is that really what was to become of her? And was that really up to him?  
  
"Do it, Jim."   
  
"But I..."  
  
"Do it!" His uncles words were stern and his eye's warning. "Do it now!"  
  
Jim could feel his hands tightening around the trigger, could feel his arms move so that he held the gun before him, and he could hear his mind screaming for him to do the exact opposite. His mind screaming to put the gun down, to help this little girl, to stop this madness. To stop this killing. To stop himself.  
  
"Do it now, Jim!" The boy trembled at the words as his uncle placed a firm hand on his shoulder. "C'mon, kid, just do it. This girl it nothing to you. Nothing! I'm your family, not her. I'm the one you need to please here, so just put her out of her misery and get this over with."  
  
'He's the one I have to please? He's my family. My uncle. He's the on I have to please.'  
  
"You're father'll never forgive you, Jim."  
  
"What?" That statement really snuck up on him. 'Daddy wont ever forgive me? He's my family, they're my family. They're the ones I need to please. They're all I have. I can't lose that...'  
  
"He'll hate you, he'll think your a weakling."   
  
"No... I can't... He can't..."  
  
"Then do it right now Jim. Do it for your father!"  
  
No... Please... Help.... He couldn't hear her say it, she was to weak for that now, she could barely stand. But her eye's said it quite clearly. Her eye's said it all. And they held him still. Held him tight. He knew that those eye's would haunt him forever if he did this. Those eye's would never let him go. Never...  
  
"He'll hate you, Jim! Don't let that happen. Make him proud, Jim. Make him proud."  
  
'Don't let him hate you. Make him proud. Make him proud.' That's all he'd ever wanted, all he'd ever known. He had to do it too. Where would he be without his father? What would he do?  
  
"Do it Jim. Make him proud. Make us proud!"  
  
"I'm so sorry..." He squeezed his eye's shut as he pulled back on the trigger, squeezed them shut as she crumpled at his feet. As she fell into a pool of her own blood, as that very blood splattered upon his clothes. And he opened them again in time to see her lay there. Still, empty, gone. Dead. "I... I..." He trailed off again as he fell to his knees, tears sliding down his cheeks. Falling on her still form. And all was silent. Silent apart from his sobs. Silent of words.   
  
He could feel himself trembling in fear, choking on his tears. What had he done? How could he have done this? Why did she deserve this? What did she do to deserve this? Nothing. 'How could I....' Jim closed his eye's in ager at the next sound he heard. Laughter. His uncles laughter. Had he really done this for that man? That man, his uncle, who was laughing now? Had he really become a murder for him? Would he become just like him? How could he have listened? He didn't want to, he tried not to... How could he have become a murder for this man? How could he become like him? Or worse yet, how could he stop himself?  
  
***  
  
"Oh good, your awake." The unpleasant sound of his uncles' voice filled Jim's ears as his eye's fluttered open. "Well, it's about time, now we can talk." 'It's about time?' How long had he been out this time? "Say something, why don't you? Don't you know it's rude not to respect your elders? You'd think your father would have taught you that."  
  
'I'm sure he would have...' Jim let his mind wander, his father really wasn't so bad and it was a strange feeling to miss him like this. He'd never really missed him before, not since he left. He knew it was this place that was doing it to him, it was his fathers ship and in a sense his home. No, wait, this wasn't his home, not anymore, not since he left. 'You don't want this place now.' He reminded himself. 'This isn't where you belong.' He would have nodded if he'd felt up to it, but he didn't, not really.   
  
He didn't feel up to listening to his uncle either, or to replying. And so he just lay there, or was he sitting? He wasn't really sure right now, he wasn't sure of anything now. He didn't even remember passing out this time, all he could remember was the vision of his uncle and that inevitable premonition of doom that came with it. And then, darkness. That's all he remembered after that. That, and this. Where was he now anyway? It wasn't quite so bright here as it had been in his cell, but it still hurt his eye's as he gazed about his surroundings.  
  
He wasn't quite sure though, the room was a large one, an open one, but that was about all he could tell. And he was alone in here, alone with Dom, who he was quite sure hadn't finished talking yet. Jim knew that he was waiting for a response from him, but he wasn't about to give that man the pleasure just yet. He was sure that he just wanted the password, that's what they needed to talk about. But it wasn't happening, not this time. Not now. He wouldn't let that man brainwash him again. He'd done it for years in the past, but he wouldn't do it now. Not anymore.  
  
Jim could hear Dom sigh at his own lack of response, getting up easily from the place where he sat and walking over to the boy. "You know what I want now, don't you?" He said the words calmly. "But I know you Jim. You wont give up that easy this time will you?" Jim watched him as he walked, what was he up to now?  
  
"You know I want that password, don't ya, Jimmy? You know that's why your here, But I'm not stupid, Jim. I know you wont just give it to me. That's why I decided to do some thinking." He spoke so easily, so softly as he circled the boy, and it made Jim nervous just to think of what he was up to.   
  
"And so I said to myself," He began again. "I'll have to give him something in return. What do ya think so far? You following me yet?" Dom smiled at the grim look growing upon his nephews' face, he was enjoying this thoroughly. "Yes, a trade. Let's make a trade, Jimmy. What do you want? Do you want to survive? Do you want your freedom?" He asked with a little laugh. "No of course not. Not you, kid. Cause you'd give it all up, wouldn't you?"   
  
"Yeah you would. Cause I've been watching you for a while now, Jim." This statement caught Jim's attention quickly, but wide as his eye's were he continued to remain silent. Dom laughed again. "I knew that'd get you. I've been watching you, and I've been waiting. You've made some good friends now, haven't you? No need to answer, I know you wont anyway."  
  
Jim didn't like where this was going, Dom never sounded so crazy, and that worried him. "Wouldn't it be unfortunate though, Jim, if something were to happen to those friends?"  
  
"What?" Jim gasped as he sat up. So he had been laying down.  
  
"He speaks!" The man sounded so amazed.  
  
"What are you talking about?" Jims' words came out muffled and low, he didn't think it would hurt this much to talk.   
  
"I think you know what I mean." Dom's tone was a strange one, it had changed so quickly. The voice that had just been so calm and controlled now instead seemed angry and controlling. "I want that password, Jim. And your going to give it to me one way or another, and if your friends have to suffer in the mean time..."  
  
Jim listened horrified as his uncles' voice trailed off. 'If they have to suffer in the mean time?' Had Dom captured the others? 'Dammit.' He cursed himself mentally. 'What do I do if he has?'  
  
Dom smiled again, but this time it was a sinister one. He had his mind set on getting what he wanted from this boy, there was no way he could screw it up now. He wouldn't let this little boy win. Not now. "So what do you think, Jim? Ready to give it up?"  
  
"Hardly." He spoke quickly in the strongest voice he could muster.  
  
"I don't think you understand what I'm saying here, do you? I have your...."  
  
"I know what your saying." He cut the other off. "But why should I believe you? You've told me nothing but lies since the day I was born!"  
  
"Because I have proof this time." He said with yet another smile, snapping his fingers as he did.   
  
Jim's mouth was a gape as a door opened up just behind him, forcing him to turn himself around to face the images coming his way. "No..." Now it was his turn to let his voice trail as he watched a group of his uncles men enter the room, the first two carrying the limp form of his partner. The others followed behind with both Hilda and Melfina. "No... Gene..."  
  
"And there you have it, Jim. The way I see it, you've got a choice to make. I'll leave that up to you."   
  
Jim looked away as his friends were thrown to the floor. 'You've got a choice to make...' The taunting voice of his uncle rang in his mind. 'A choice to make...' But what could he do now? He couldn't let Dom hurt his friends, but giving him the password was totally out of the question. 'Choose... Choose...' This was all happening so suddenly. Too suddenly. And he just couldn't stop it.   
  
He closed his eye's in thought, sleep again threatening to take the boy over. But this time he wouldn't let it. He couldn't. He just had to think. But it was the fate of his friends, his best friend, his 'brother' up against that of all of space. Jim knew what they were capable of, knew what they would do if they had that weapon, knew of the people they'd kill. Could he really let that happen? Could he really give up that password and let that happen? 'Oh, aniki.' The thought was a bittersweet one, one that hurt more than any other.   
  
"Aniki..." Jim sighed as he said it aloud, opening his eye's and turning back to his friends. He knew exactly what he had to do.  
  
To be continued...  
  
A/N: Wow, that one took me forever to write, I hope it was OK! What did ya think? Is this still any good? ^^;; Hope so!! Alrighty, not a lot to say here, I'm just glad I got this written! So that's 'bout it for now. Later people ^^ 


	8. Bounty Hunted, Part VII

A/N: Okies, peeps, my apologies to all those who've remained faithful to this fic and have waited patiently for this part! Not to mention those of you who were bugging me about it^^ You guys all rock! So I won't keep you waiting, on with part 7!! Please r/r!  
  
~~~  
Bounty Hunted  
---  
Part VII  
~~~  
  
  
Sad blue eye narrowed in thought as Jim realized just what had to be done. It was painful, unnerving, it would hurt him more than anyone--only because he'd be the only one who knew--but he knew deep down that it was the only option he had left. Bittersweet described it well, and if the others, his friends, knew just what was going through his head right now they might never forgive him. They wouldn't understand. Couldn't. Well, maybe Hilda, possibly Mel, but not Gene. Not his partner. He was the one Jim wanted to please more than anyone, and as luck would have it he was also the one who wouldn't forgive and forget so easily. Not that he'd have much of a chance anyway.   
  
His first thought was simply to lie to him--his uncle--to give him a false password and get the hell out of there before the whole place went up in flames. But that wouldn't work. Not in the way he wanted it to anyway. Dom would never let him leave, and no matter how sincerely he promised he would never let the others go either. That one'd kill them all, but something told Jim that the other alternatives weren't going to be much better.  
  
Kill them, or several others? In his own sullen mind, Jim found himself lost in an unending labyrinth of doubt. Impossible to navigate through, to winding and dark. The only escape was in death. Be it his or someone else's, it was the only way out. Only in death could this all be over.  
  
"Well, Jimmy?" Dom coaxed and Jim scowled disapprovingly. "Come on now kid, we haven't got all-"  
  
"Will just shut up already?!" Jim unwitting clenched his hands into fists as he spoke. "Dammit, how do you expect me to think clearly when..." He shook his head slowly as he trailed off, seething, he'd already said to much--shouting at his uncle wasn't going to solve anything.  
  
Dom raised an eye brow at this. "My, my, what a temper you've acquired," He couldn't help but smile at his willful nephew. "You didn't learn that from me."  
  
"No," Jim glared up at his uncle in obvious disgust. "you taught me how to hurt and kill innocent people. *You* taught me how to become everything I hate!"  
  
The other merely laughed as he caught the boys gaze. "Hate is a strong word nephew."  
  
"And it describes the way I feel about you perfectly."  
  
"Excellent." The man laughed lightly. "Then your even more like me than I thought."  
  
"What?" Jim couldn't hide his puzzlement for his confusion was evident in his voice.  
  
"Well, for one, if I've taught you to become everything you hate," Dom's smile never faded. "and you hate me..."  
  
"That's not what I meant!" Jim said in his defense. "I'm not like that...not anymore...I'm nothing like you!"  
  
"You're exactly like me, Jimmy. It's in your blood." Dom said calmly, taking a step in Jim's direction for the first time since they'd started their conversation. "Just like my father, and his father, and your father, and me. We're all alike, all of us. Don't think that just because you were gone for a while that your any different."  
  
"My father wasn't like that." Jim seethed. "He was better than that, he wasn't like-"  
  
"Your *father* was a murdering, power hungry bastard, who made my life hell for his own fucking benefit!" Jim was surprised to see that his uncle wasn't laughing anymore, wasn't smiling. Had he actually struck a nerve? "Why the hell would you think any differently?"  
  
"He wasn't like that to me." Jim spat, fighting to control his anger. "He never kidnapped me or threatened me and he would never in a million years have hurt me!"  
  
"Well, of course not!" Dom was screaming now, and advancing angrily on younger blond. Jim stood his ground. "You never ran from him! You never kept things from him! He entrusted you with the most valuable piece of information that he'd ever had and expected *you* to be JUST. LIKE. HIM!" He ceased his shouts as he reached the other, staring down at the boy in utter contempt. "He'd roll over in his grave if he could see you now."  
  
Jim didn't waver, didn't take a step back, didn't let himself be afraid. He just stared as he replied in an eerie calm. "He wouldn't be in that grave if you hadn't put him there."  
  
Jim hit the ground before he knew what was happening, heard his ribs crack before he even felt the unwelcome presence of his uncles' boot slam into his chest, tasted blood in his mouth before the pain even surfaced, but for one blissful moment he was proud of himself. Dom had to resort to violence to hurt him this time. His words hadn't scared him in the least. No more brainwashing, no more fears, just the silent satisfaction that he'd gotten to his uncle. That for once, it was him and not Dom who had remained calm and stood their ground. It was something he'd only dreamed about until now.   
  
But then he opened his eye's, and reality rushed forward just as fast as his vision, and suddenly his pride was the last thing on his mind. His first instinct was to curl up into a little ball on the floor, bringing his knees up quickly to protect his bruised chest. It hurt to think, hurt to breath. Especially to breath, and the next thing he knew he was coughing and choking as the coppery liquid slid down his throat and found his lungs.  
  
Immediately he closed his eye's again, just in case--by merciful twist of fate--it could block out the pain the way it had before and return him to that dream. But it couldn't, he'd known it wouldn't, and he still found it hard to breath. He was coughing, choking, drowning, and breathing made the pain ten times worse. With every breath he took--or attempted to take--came another fit of coughs, and his chest would rise and fall, rise and fall, rise and sting, and rise and stab. Every time.  
  
Dom was displeased.  
  
"Awe, dammit, Jim!" The last thing he needed to do was kill the boy before he'd gotten any information out of him. "Look what you made me do."  
  
On the floor the boy seemed so small. So helpless. So scared. Now THAT was the Jim he remembered! Helpless, frightened, fragile. That was his nephew. Dom would have smiled if he weren't so pissed off. He would have given the boy another kick and laughed to himself as he walked away. He would have laughed, he would have smiled. But he didn't. Not now. Not yet. Now he merely reached down, grabbed the tremulous boy by the collar of his shirt and ripped him mercilessly to his feet. Another smile threatened to cross his lips at his nephews sudden cry of pain. But again he didn't smile. Not just yet.  
  
The boy was like a rag doll in his uncle's grasp, dangling helplessly as he vainly tried to get his footing. It was all Jim could do not to release the tears now shinning visibly in his eye's. He didn't want to let Dom make him cry, no matter how much pain he was in. Dom didn't deserve that satisfaction.  
  
But the man was unrelenting. He knew the boy was at his breaking point, and oh how it would please him to see those tears. "Now, you know Jim," He spoke softly now, but not without malice as he slammed the boy up against the wall. "This can all end now. Just give me the-"  
  
"NO!" Jim coughed causing his whole body to shudder, and blinked back his tears in a sudden blaze of determination.   
  
Dom pressed his thumbs into the boy's throat and slammed him once more before he spoke again. "Just give me the password," Now he did sneer. "Just give me what I want. Tell me, and I'll let you breath."   
  
"N...n..." When speech failed him the boy fought to shake his head but that that just hurt him more. Dom slammed him again. And again. And again. One, two, three, four--Jim lost count after that. Hell, he could hardly believe he hadn't lost consciousness. He'd been pretty good at *that* lately. But his talents failed him now, and pain shot through his small body. He couldn't take much more of this, he needed help. He needed air. More than anything he needed air--as he was rudely reminded with every ragged breath he was denied. 'Tell me, and I'll let you breath...'  
  
*Bang*  
  
*Bang*  
  
*Bang*  
  
He could feel the crimson liquid--sticky and thick--trailing slowly down the back of his neck. His head was pounding, throbbing, and his lungs were aflame with the desire for air. Air, air...sweet, precious, air. He'd never wanted, needed *anything* so badly in his entire life!  
  
'Tell me...'  
  
'Tell me...'  
  
'...and I'll let you breath...'  
  
'This can all end...'  
  
'...all end...now...'  
  
'Tell me...'  
  
'Tell me...'  
  
'...I'll let you breath...'  
  
'...let you breath...'  
  
'...let you...'  
  
"Dominic!" Was the boy's shrill cry. But Dom didn't let go.  
  
"What?" He demanded. Never before had he heard Jim use his full first name.   
  
"It's...it's..." His nephew choked, barely able to get the words out. "...Dom...inic..."  
  
"What is?!" The man slammed him one last time.  
  
"...the...the...c-code..."  
  
Dom's eye's grew wide and he tightened his grip on the boys throat, watching in anger and frustration as Jim's eye's began to glaze over. That couldn't be right. That *couldn't* be it! "Your lying!" He glared. "Your lying! You have to be! Your LYING!!"  
  
"...n...n..."  
  
"YOU ARE!!"  
  
"...n...o...no..."  
  
"Your..." Dom released his grip on the boy as he noticed his shaking hands. Shaking arms. Shaking...everything. That had to be wrong! That HAD to be WRONG!! Dominic. Why the HELL would his brother use HIS name? James hated him. HATED him! That had to be wrong. It had to...!   
  
Jim hit the floor with a thud, landing painfully on his hands and knees as he drew in his first merciful breath. It took him a moment to realize what he'd just done. A moment in which he spent choking and coughing and getting yet more acquainted with the metallic taste flooding his mouth. But once that moment was up, and the boys breathing--shallow as it was--grew almost steady, his mind kicked back into gear and the tiniest shred of clarity faded into consciousness.  
  
He'd caved. He'd lost. And he did it to save himself. *Himself*! He'd just sacrificed the safety of the known universe for himself. For HIS benefit! "No..." Jim gasped, between ragged breathes. "No...h...ow...could...I...?" Now tears did cloud his vision, leaving salty tracks down his dirty cheeks as silent sobs racked his already battered body.   
  
Gene would have never given up like that. Not ever! No matter how much pain he was in, no matter what the cost, he'd have gotten past it, he'd have stayed strong. Gene wouldn't have failed. Not Gene. Suddenly Jim didn't feel like such a good partner anymore. He was a loser. A failure. He didn't deserve to live. How the HELL could he do that?! After all he'd been through! After all he'd overcome! How could he be that stupid?! How could he be that weak? So weak...  
  
So weak in fact that the sudden sound of gunfire made him shudder and cringe and fall to the floor in a hapless heap, eye's squeezed shut as he shielded his ears from the thunderous intrusion.   
  
So weak that he didn't see nor hear as his uncle's body crumbled before him.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
'Were am I? What's happened?'  
  
The world was a blur of muffled sounds and clouded colors as consciousness was returned to one, Gene Starwind. At first, his movement was minimal, the soft tapping of fingers and the gentle fluttering of lashes. Then his whole head moved at a slow and weary pace. Gene blinked several times before realization struck him and he had his desired answers. 'Dom's ship...Gas?' He could barely remember the events that had passed, it had all happened so quickly. Too quickly. 'Where's Jim?' This time he was answered by the cry of pain on the other side of the room. 'Jim?!'   
  
Gene's head turned more quickly than he should have allowed, again blurring his vision for just a moment before his eye's were meet with the image of his struggling partner. 'Is he trying to kill him?' He thought frantically at the sight of his small friend being thrown against the wall. Gene watched painfully as Jims' head flopped back and forth with the countless shakes his uncle gave him. Dom was all but screaming at him in anger and obvious frustration, and the boy was practically in tears. Jim wasn't one to cry. Gene remembered suddenly a time when the boy had laughed when he'd feared for his life, and sighed bitterly at the thought. He wasn't laughing now. Gene wondered briefly if his partner would ever laugh again.   
  
The outlaw's face screwed up. Was he already losing faith? He immediately regretted the thought. Jim wasn't going to die, none of them were. He would never let that happen. He wouldn't lose anyone else.  
  
An inevitable moment of grief hit Gene at the unspoken reference to his father before his thoughts wandered back to Jim. He remembered suddenly the day they first met, their first job together, the birth of Starwind and Hawking Enterprises. Gene almost smiled. He and Jim'd had a big argument over why Gene's name got to go first when Jim did all the work. What would he ever do without Jim there to help him? He'd probably starve--though he'd never have admitted it. Gene didn't smile though. He stood up instead.   
  
Out of habit he'd already surveyed the room and found that only Hilda, Melfina, Jim, Dom and himself were occupying it now. Though he was quite certain that there were plenty guards waiting just outside the large steel doors to his left. He'd come to at a good time. With no security and Dom's attention currently focused on Jim, Gene was able to both get to his feet and reach for his caster without being noticed--and sigh in annoyance when he realized his coveted weapon wasn't there. 'Should have known.' He sighed again, and then as an after thought checked to see if any weapons at all had been left on his person.   
  
A frown creased Gene's fore head as he caught a hold of the one thing they'd missed when disarming him, a tiny silver pistol Hilda'd made him carry in his hidden cloak pocket. He could already hear the 'I told ya so's he'd receive if Hilda were to find out, after the way he'd insisted that he'd never need it as long as he had his caster. To bad his caster was most likely the first thing they'd taken while disarming him. 'Stupid!' He could have kicked himself, but thought it best to save any further berating--or beating--for later as he held the tiny weapon before him and prepared to shoot.  
  
It was only then that he'd realized the screaming had stopped. Jim, he noted, was now on the ground coughing up a storm as he held himself up on weak hands and knees. There was a lot of blood. Gene gritted his teeth as he again focused his gaze on the now silent--and strangely pale--Dom. 'Your gonna pay for that.' He mused proudly as he pulled back on the trigger.   
  
*Bang*  
  
*Thud*  
  
For the second time since he'd opened his eye's a smile almost crossed Genes' lips as the tall dark figure fell to the ground. But again he refrained from doing so as he gazed back at his partner. 'I'm coming Jim.'   
  
"Gene?"  
  
Gene--who'd about broke into a run--skidded to a halt at the soft voice behind him. "Mel?" He turned back to her quickly as her eye's fluttered open.   
  
"Gene, what happened?" She asked sleepily as Gene helped her to her feet.  
  
"Gas." Gene was surprised to hear a groggy Hilda answer for him, as she too opened her eye's. Once Melfina was standing he quickly offered a hand to the other outlaw, but she just waved it off and stood easily on her own. "Blasted pirates." She inhaled deeply. "They're smarter than they look."  
  
Gene nodded sadly before speaking again. "I need you two to get out of here." He stated simply, receiving mixed glances from each of them. "Just go." He continued. "Go back to the ship and tell Gilliam to prepare for take off."  
  
"But what about-"  
  
"Jim and I'll be along shortly." Gene assured an obviously worried Melfina. "Just get things ready, okay?"  
  
Melfina opened her mouth in protest but shut it quickly when Hilda spoke up.   
  
"All right." She nodded. "Don't be too long." And then as an after thought added: "And be careful, Gene. If you don't get there within fifteen minutes of us I'll kill ya myself, you hear."  
  
The two exchanged a quick smirk before he nodded his understanding. Melfina remained silent. "I'll be okay, Mel. I promise." Gene turned back to the teen, his smirk fading into what he hoped looked like a reassuring smile.  
  
Melfina stifled a giggle at the outlaw's lopsided grin before giving him a quick hug. Gene stiffened for a moment, but then relaxed and returned the hug gently. "I'll be okay." He said again before she let go.   
  
"Better be." She said stepping backwards towards their exit before turning away.   
  
Hilda's smirk fell into a sad smile as she watched the two, but she shook it off before anyone noticed. 'This is not the time.' She reminded herself sternly, giving Gene one last glance before following Melfina's path to the doorway at her side. Then thinking better of it, grabbed the girls wrist and pulled her in the other direction. "That way's not safe." She explained simply, walking swiftly to a smaller doorway on the other side of the room. Melfina just nodded and fell into step with the other. Neither looked back as they slid through the door.   
  
Neither saw the dark figure approaching the red haired outlaw...   
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
  
After the initial shock of that horrendous sound wore off, Jim swallowed back the ever-thick blood that caked his throat and opened his eye's with an evident cautiousness. What he saw surprised him. No more than a meter away stood a tiny pool of blood. Blood that--for once--was not his own. The boy blinked, breathed, and swallowed again before even attempting to move his languid form. He wanted to know who that blood belonged to. He wanted to know now.   
  
Jim turned his head slowly--and painfully--to see the tall, muscular form of the partner he'd been thinking of only moments ago. The boy watched the scene play out silently, Hilda and Melfina--awake and well, thankfully--saying a quick good-bye to the other and than heading off for a small door on their left.  
  
What troubled the boy though was the fifth form that occupied the room, tall, dark and ominous as he was, left palm clutched firmly over his upper right arm, the hand of which wielded a plain and deadly black gun. Gene didn't see it coming, not at all, and the fast retreating forms of Hilda and Mel as the door slid shut only added to his distraction. 'He stayed behind for me.' Jim realized with a petrifying certainty that made his blood run cold. He hardly deserved Gene's loyalty right now, he hardly deserved anything. But now was not the time to spend berating himself. Now was the time for action. He had to warn Gene. Had to save him!  
  
"Ge..ne..." He squeaked barely above a whisper. Gene didn't move, didn't turn, didn't hear and Dom stalked closer with every mounting second. "An...IKI!" The boy cried to the best of his ability. "Aniki, be..HIND...you...!"  
  
"Huh?" Gene spun around just in time to avoid the bullet that blazed past his right ear as Dom pulled the trigger. The outlaws eye's grew wide at what he saw, shifting quickly from the other mans' face to his bleeding arm. 'Damn!' Gene cursed himself mentally he could have sworn he'd hit him in the chest, or the head, or...well he wasn't quite sure. In fact, he hardly remembered firing the shot at all. Gene frowned, must be a side effect of that damned gas they used to knock them out--short term memory loss and a merciless lack of coordination. "Great." He breathed. "Just what I need..."  
  
Dom chose that very moment to lung at the disoriented outlaw, forgetting his injured appendage and tackling the other to the ground. Gene, ready for the attack--or as ready as someone in his state could be--rolled his opponent on his back almost the moment they hit the floor and punched him squarely in the jaw. Obviously, Dom was a bit dazed--if not from the recent blow to his head then due to the bullet still firmly embedded in his arm--but one wouldn't know it by the force with which he shoved Gene aside, quickly regaining the upper hand.  
  
Jim watched the brawl in silent frustration from where he lay, still barely conscious on the other side of the room. He wanted to help. Gene needed his help! He'd stayed for him. HIM! And if he didn't do something soon then he might very well *die* for him too. That was something the boy simply couldn't handle. That was something he *couldn't* let happen!  
  
On shaky arms, Jim lifted his feeble body until his knees were once again beneath him. The task hadn't been much, but it was more than enough to wear the languid boy out and send him into another fit of coughs. It was several minutes before he managed to catch his breath and regain his composure. Several precious, wasted minutes in which the heated battle across the room was but a blur to the boy. By the time he brought himself to lift his weary head and look upon the two things had yet to show much change. Gene was on top again, but only for a moment before Dom knocked him over the head, hard, with the gun he still held. Apparently the chance hadn't presented itself to use the weapon again, and probably never would as Gene somehow managed to kick the pistol from the others grasp.   
  
Gene's head throbbed immensely after that, as he slid to the ground, blinking a few times to find his bearings. Once his vision had cleared he watched helplessly as Dom staggered back to his feet and unsheathed the knife cleverly hidden in his boot. Sapphire eye's grew wide as there reflection gleamed in the sharpened blade, mirroring the outlaws' momentary horror. By the time those eye's blinked Dom was speaking to him, his words coming out more as a defining hum than anything discernible--or at least that's what Gene heard.  
  
"...fool..." Was the first thing Gene heard clearly. "How many years did you waste with that little brat anyway? Three? Four? And for what, Gene Starwind? So that you could die here for him?" The pirate smirked at the thought as he readied the blade to strike the others' flesh. "How very honorable."  
  
Dom's smirk turned to a sneer of pure wrathful delight as he brought the weapon down on the stunned outlaw, ice eye's shinning in sardonic pleasure. But Gene wasn't thinking about that right now. He wasn't thinking about the anger he felt or the pain he would feel, or even of attempting to block the oncoming blow. He was thinking about Jim, and their time together, and--though bitterly--of the answers to Dom's intrusive questions.   
  
He and Jim were a team. Partners. There for each other no matter what. And if he did die today--though he had no intention of doing so--it would in fact be honorable. The irony that Dom could make something so true and so real sound like such a joke and so bitter only fueled the growing hatred he held for the man. No, he wasn't going to die today. Not him, or Jim, or Hilda or Melfina. They were all going to survive this, they were all going to be okay. But as for the menacing man who stood over him now, Gene really wasn't sure. But if Dom were not to survive this encounter, it certainly wouldn't break his heart.  
  
Gene winced and gritted his teeth against the pain of the cold metal connecting with his abdomen. But even as he watched his blood spill profusely from the newly formed gash he refused to give up, the wound to his side only driving his determination. He simply couldn't give up yet.   
  
Not yet...  
  
Not ever...  
  
And yet his body didn't respond. Couldn't respond. And though Dom was again speaking, Gene--head still swimming--could hardly hope to hear the words. It was all the young outlaw could do to grasp his bleeding side. 'Just another scar.' He thought sardonically as his opponent lifted his blade again.   
  
Gene, after taking a deep breath, fought back, not against Dom, but against his own languid behavior. If he could ever hope to survive all this then he couldn't be so damn weak. Couldn't give up! He had to swallow back his pain and his helpless appearance, regain his bearings and not give in. Not give up. He had to fight back. Had to win. To live!  
  
But the mans' thoughts it seemed, valiant as they were, came to little to late. Dom's sneer, bitter and pointed, had grown yet wider as the knife descended on the other. At that moment it was all Gene could do not to shy away as the blade neared again. Now was the time. If he didn't do something now, he was over. Dead. This wound would be fatal, of that he was certain.  
  
Ironically enough, the wounded didn't have to do a thing. Indigo eyes blinked in appropriate confusion as the deadly weapon intent on killing him skidded across the floor and Dom fell to his knees in evident shock.  
  
Jim was almost as surprised as Gene at the idea of him not only standing--feeble as he was--but also clutching in his unshaking hand, Dom's' previously discarded gun--maliciously trained on his near devastated uncle. The roguish boy might have smiled through his disbelief if only he'd had the strength, but if it was a choice between expressing his inner satisfaction and keeping his minimal concentration then concentration would win out in the end as Jims' lips remained taught in strait mouthed resolve.  
  
Dom was somewhere between shock and marvel. How could that boy possibly have come to the outlaws' rescue like that? How could he still be conscious? The irony of it nearly made the man shudder; it was he who taught the boy to handle such a weapon in the first place. Never, even now, did he expect his nephew to wield any of the like against him. Perhaps what they said was true, that the best student--or in this case, only--really did rise up to defeat their teacher. 'And in this case,' Dom thought morbidly. 'That saying just might be literal.'  
  
The near disdainful look in Jims' eyes as he glared down at his uncle expressed exactly how the boy felt. Hateful, scornful and yet engulfed by an undying pride. He had the upper hand here, *he* had control over Dom. That momentary bliss when first he hit the floor flooded his senses once again, masking his pain--if only for a second--beneath a guise of manifest determination.   
  
But, painful as it was, Jim knew that his peace wouldn't last and in a moments' time he was gone from his dream world and back in reality. A reality where Gene lay bleeding on the floor, Dom sat on caved knees in apparent shock, and he wobbly stood, weapon in hand. A reality where his uncles eye's narrowed as the lurid truth set in, and his lips again curled into a wicked smile.  
  
"Not bad, Jimmy." The man sneered. "I must say, I'm impressed. Perhaps you are a nephew of mine after all."  
  
Azure eyes blinked in both surprise and--though he hoped it wasn't obvious--fatigue. How could ones' mood change that quickly? Shock written clearly across their face one moment and the next an utter, eerie calm. Jim wasn't entirely certain how he should handle that. And as it turned out, Dom didn't give him the time for such contemplation anyway.  
  
"So, what are you gonna do now?" The man asked as though clueless. Jim remained silent and he continued. "Are you going to shoot me, Jimmy? Do you really want to kill me?"  
  
"Yes." The boy needed no contemplation to answer that one, the surprise in his eye's replaced by a cold malicious glare that rivaled even Dom's.   
  
"But will you?" Dom inquired almost indifferently. "Can you?"  
  
"I can." But this time his voice was a bit shaky, his eye's a bit sad.   
  
"Then do it." He said simply, as though the task ahead were no more than a walk in the park. "It's only appropriate." Dom's smile widened.   
  
'Go on, Jim. Shoot him! Kill him! Pay him back for all he's done to you!' The boys' mind was screaming at him, begging him. 'Dot it! Do it! DO IT!' But instead he just stood there, just stared. Hesitated. Spoke. "Appropriate?" As it he didn't know.   
  
"Well, yes." Dom nodded. "An eye for an eye, right? I killed your father, now you kill me, isn't that the way it works?" Jims' grip on the gun tightened at the mention of his father and he again swallowed back the urge to collapse right then and there. He should have killed the man by now, he should do it now, but for some reason he felt compelled to listen. Dom had that effect on him. He'd always had. Yet, as the boy suddenly realized, he wasn't the only thing in Jim's line of vision.  
  
'Piece of cake.' Dom thought in premature triumph. It may not have been obvious to anyone other then himself but he *was* back in control. The glazed over look in his nephews' eye's made that abundantly clear. He was tempted to laugh at it all, that boy could be so damn amusing--holding a gun to the other and still entirely helpless. He loved it! And he knew just how to use it to his advantage. If he could just stay alive for another minute or so then all would be fine. The guards would have noticed the disturbance by now, they'd be there any minute. Oh, how stupid that boy could be.   
  
Gene, however, even in his semiconscious state, could see *exactly* what was going on. 'He's stalling him.' The outlaw realized. 'He's just playing with him.' And yet no warning escaped his lips as his gaze moved from Dom, to the boy before him. Something told him he should save his energy for when it was *really* needed. All was not as it seemed, and his partner needed no help from him now.   
  
"Oh, come on, Jimmy." The pirate coaxed. "I wont be the first person you've killed, and I probably wont be the last."   
  
But Jim wasn't even looking at him anymore, the object which held his attention now just past the dark man. That was it. Behind Dom, the computer console, the controls to his fathers weapon. That was the key. The key to ending it all. Had Dom noticed the change in the boys gaze he might have tried a different approach on keeping his unwittingly lost control. But he didn't, and so the man went on.   
  
"Do you remember your first kill?" He asked cluelessly. "Do you remember that day?" When the boy didn't react at all Dom was a bit confused, but not finished. "Do you remember-"  
  
Dom was cut off abruptly by the sudden sound of the door on his right being thrown open. "Ah, success." He breathed. If it was even possible the smirk on his face grew. "You know, Jim, you really should have-"  
  
"Do you remember the day your entire empire was brought down by your own nephew?" Jim asked spontaneously, as though indifferent to everything around him. Dom's' only response was an uncharacteristic look of confusion. It was Jims' turn to smile. "Well, you will." The boy continued. "If you live through this."   
  
Finally pulling the trigger, Jim watched blissfully as the bullet whizzed past his uncles' head and the computer behind him burst into flames. Beautiful, hostile, auspicious flames. The kind that could efficiently detonate a bomb. To Jim, nothing had never been more beautiful. More welcoming. And as he fell to the floor, hardly noticing his uncles' wrathful cries, he'd never felt more at peace with himself. With anything. And as his eye's fell shut, a smile crossed his face. Whether he would awake again or not he wasn't sure but either way his uncles' reign of terror had come to an end.   
  
Either way, he would rest in peace...  
  
To be concluded...  
  
A/N: Yes, I'm perfectly aware of how evil I am for ending it there, but ya gotta admit, it's better than nothing^^ Well, as it is, I hope that part didn't suck! For as long as it took me to write I know I'm horrible with action/fight type scenes, so my apologies for that. Hopefully, and I know I say this every time, the next part wont take me forever to do. Well, actually both next parts (one Gene/Hilda & one Gene/Mel) but um, yeah, it'll be the end. Finally! ^^;; Alrighty, that's about it, for now at least. Ja ne minna-san ^__^ 


End file.
